The Fallen Sister Edited
by TheDevilsDaughter267
Summary: What if there was another side to the whole Michael/Lucifer battle? Here is the story of Kayla and her experience of the Apocalypse and her travels with Sam and Dean. Season 5. This is an edited version to the original, I dont't own Superantural.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok. I decided to edit this becuase the constant typos were getting on my nerves and there were parts that I wanted to change. The original version will be kept up. Hope you enjoy this one too.**

**Not gonna put this on every chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural. **

Kayla West walks down her road in her hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Her long, blonde hair blows about in the wind, sometimes obscuring her sea blue eyes. She looks down at her watch and starts running. As soon as she sees her house she slows down. She feels her phone vibrate against her leg, so she pulls it out from her pocket. "Hey Dad. What's up?... No I'm about 3 houses away... see you soon." She replaces the phone in her pocket and carries on walking. She pushes open the gate and walks up the path. Pulling the keys from her hoodie pocket, Kayla unlocks her front door. The moment she steps inside the door it slams behind her and she is grabbed around the waist. A knife is held to her throat and she freezes. The person holding her forces her into the living room. The first thing Kayla sees is her mother's dead body lying on the floor, covered in blood. She screams and the knife is instantly held closer to her throat.

"Hush now darling, everything is going to be ok," a voice says. Kayla looks to the side and she her father walk into the room. He bends down beside the body. He grins up at Kayla and his eyes turn black. Kayla's eyes widen and she sucks in enough breathe to scream. Her father darts forward and covers her mouth. He tuts and shakes his head.

"You're gonna come with us and you're gonna stay quiet!" he threatens her. Kayla shakes her head in fear, feeling the cold blade of the knife biting into her skin, drawing a thin line of blood. All of a sudden, the door blows open and the lights flicker off. Kayla feels someone push her down to the ground as screaming starts above her. She covers her head with her arms and curls up into a ball. She starts to sob, distraught over the death of her mother and the shock of what happened to her father. She feels herself being pulled up into someone's arms. She clings onto them with all her strength. The person holding her sits down and starts to rub her back, trying to calm her down. "Don't worry, you are safe now," a deep voice comforts her. Eventually, she manages to calm herself down enough to look up at her saviour. His blue eyes looked deep into her own, his black hair stuck up at odd angles, as though he had just walked through a large gust of wind.

"Th-thank you," Kayla stutters.

The stranger just shakes his head and replies, "No apology necessary, Kayla."

She stares at him, slightly confused and scared, "Who are you and how do you know my name?" she questions.

He gazes down at her, "My name is Castiel and I am an angel of the Lord. I have been sent to protect you, Kayla West."

"An angel of the Lord? But there's no such thing," Kayla says. The lights around her start flickering. Kayla's eyes widen dramatically at the outline of wings that appear behind Castiel. She then looks back into Castiel's eyes.

"Why me?" she breathes.

Castiel doesn't answer; he just stands up and gently lowers Kayla to the ground, keeping an arm around her when her legs give way. "It is no longer safe for you here, go and pack a bag and I will take you somewhere safer."

"Do I even get a say-so in this?" Kayla asks, not wanting to leave her home.

Castiel looks at her and says, "No".

Kayla nods slowly and walks upstairs to her room. When she enters she feels tears well up in her eyes, remembering all of the good memories of her parents. Blinking them back she grabs a bag and stuffs some clothes, make-up and her I-pod in it. As she leaves, she notices a photo album sitting on her desk. She quickly grabs it and places it carefully in the bag. She looks round the room one last time, making sure that she got everything important to her. She then walks out of the room, closing the door behind her. Castiel meets her at the bottom of the stairs. She lifts the bag higher onto her shoulder and takes a deep breath.

She nods her head and says, "I'm ready." Castiel just places two fingers on her forehead.

"Close your eyes," he whispers. Kayla does as she is told. When she opens them again, she is standing in the middle of a remote cabin. It is sparsely furnished with only two rooms. Kayla walks over the kitchen and looks in the cupboards, they are all stocked with food.

"You will have to stay here for awhile. When you need me, just call my name. I will be back in a few days to take you somewhere permanent." With that said Castiel, prepares to leave.

"Wait!" Kayla calls and runs over.

"Thanks for saving me!" she places a small kiss on his cheek. Castiel looks at her and nods his head and disappears. Kayla sighs and looks around the cabin. Her entire life has been turned upside down and inside out in the space of an hour. She puts her bag down on the floor and lays down on the bed, tears once again streaming down her cheeks.

Meanwhile, Dean Winchester was walking around Bobby Singer's salvage yard, unable to hear his brother scream anymore. He looks up when he hears a flutter of wings. "Well it's about time," he snaps at Castiel. "I've been screaming myself hoarse out here for about two and a half hours now!"

"You are not the only one that I have to protect," Castiel states coldly. "What do you want?"

"Well you could start with what the hell happened in Illinois," Dean replies.

"What do you mean?"

"Cut the crap, you were gonna tell me something," Dean says as Castiel walks over to him. "And what do you mean 'I am not the only one you are protecting?"

"Neither are of importance," Castiel tells him calmly.

Dean just stands there staring at him, "You got ass-reamed in Heaven. But it was not of importance?"

"Dean. I can't," Castiel interrupts. "I'm sorry."

He walks a little ways away. "Get to the reason you really called me. It's about Sam, right?" Dean watches him. "Can he do it? Kill Lillith? Stop the apocalypse?"

"Possibly, yes," Castiel says. "But as you know, he'd have to take certain steps."

Dean nods. "Crank up the hell-blood regimen."

"Consuming the amount of blood it would take to kill Lilith would change your brother forever. Most likely, he would become the next creature that you would feel compelled to kill. There's no reason this would have to come to pass, Dean. We believe it's you, Dean. Not your brother." Castiel walks closer. "The only question for us is whether you're willing to accept it. Stand up and accept your role. You are the one who will stop it."

Dean looks at him for a long moment, unsure. "If I do this - Sammy doesn't have to?"

"If it gives you comfort to see it that way," Castiel says. Dean looks away.

"You're a dick these days." He walks away a little ways, takes a deep breath. "Fine, I'm in."

"Do you give yourself over, wholly, to the service of God and his angels?" Castiel asks.

Dean closes his eyes. "Yeah. Exactly."

"Say it," Castiel says.

Dean turns to stare at him incredulously. Castiel stares back seriously.

"I give myself over wholly to serve God, and you guys," Dean says finally, walking back over to face Castiel.

"Do you swear to follow His will and His word as swiftly and obediently as you did your own father's?" Castiel asks. Dean glares at him.

"Yes, I swear. Now what?"

"Now you wait, and we call on you when it's time," Castiel replies. He then disappears, leaving Dean to question his decision and to wonder who Castiel was talking about.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Rewritten-

Kayla has spent the last few days catching up on sleep and reading the many books that littered the cabin. They were all about monsters such as Demons, Vampires, Werewolves and creatures like that. She is just cleaning up after dinner when she feels another presence in her head. She collapses as the presence, and the pain, grows stronger. Just as Kayla thinks that she is going to pass out from the pain it disappears. She gets up and tries to control her erratic breathing. When she can finally breathe normally again, she starts calling for Castiel. She gets no answer. Then she hears the tell-tale flutter and is about to turn around when her world goes black.

When she wakes up, she is laying on her bed. She doesn't know what to expect next so she picks up her bag and starts to sneak towards the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," someone says from behind her. She turns around slowly, behind her stands a man with graying hair and a friendly face. But Kayla can instantly tell that this man is anything but friendly.

"Who are you?" she asks quietly.

"How rude of me!" he exclaims. "My name is Zachariah." He tells her.

"Why are you here?" she asks cautiously.

Zachariah sighs, "We need you." Kayla is about to ask why, when a white light fills the room, making her feel nauseous and dizzy. When she mostly recovers, she looks around the room and sees that Zachariah is gone. She stumbles further into the room when she is grabbed from behind and spun around.

"Kayla are you alright?" Castiel asks her worriedly. "Did he do anything to you?"

Kayla throws her arms around him and replies, "I'm fine. But I was so worried about you. When you didn't come I thought something really bad had happened to you."

"Don't worry, I am fine, but we have to leave," he assures her. She nods and shows him her bag.

"I'm ready to go Castiel," she tells him, eager to get away in case Zachariah returns. He nods and goes to touch her forehead. He then looks at her closely and touches her chest instead. Kayla feels a deep burning pain on chest and gasps. She looks at him accusingly.

"I am sorry. But now you can't be found by any angel." She nods her head in acceptance, happy that Zachariah in particular can't find her. Castiel transports them elsewhere.

The pair land on the side of a deserted highway. Castiel gets a phone out of his pocket and stares at it in confusion. Kayla tugs on the sleeve of his trenchcoat. He looks down at her and she asks, "Do you need some help with that Castiel?" He nods and passes her the phone. She brings up the contact list and asks, "Who do you need to call?"

"Sam Winchester," he replies.

"Ok," she shrugs. "Hey Castiel, why did Zachariah say that he needs me? And why are you protecting me? And why did I feel this presence in my head?"

Castiel sighs and kneels down so he is face-to-face with Kayla. "Kayla, I believe that you are a fallen angel. One who the angels have been tracking for a long time. They think that they can use you in their war against Lucifer, who is the presence that you felt." Kayla just stares at him in shock. "Is the phone ready to call?" She nods slowly. He takes the phone out of her hand and presses the call button. Sam answers, "Hello?"

"Hello Sam."

"Castiel?"

"Where are you?"

"Uh- St. Martin's hospital, why?"

"I'm on my way."

"What're you-"

Castiel hangs up and transports himself and Kayla to the hospital. They land around the corner from Sam and Dean and walk towards them.

"Cellphone, Cas? Really?" the shorter guy says ignoring Kayla. "Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?"Kayla stands there mouthing 'Cas' and looking at Sam and Dean in confusion.

"You're hidden from angels now, all angels. I won't be able to simply..." Castiel begins.

"Enough foreplay," the middle-aged man, who is sitting in the hospital room, snaps suddenly. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on me. Get healing! Now." Kayla looks at him surprised that someone is speaking to Castiel, an angel, like that.

"I can't," Castiel hesitates.

The man turns round and glares, "Say it again?"

"I'm cut off from Heaven," Castiel explains, walking forward, dragging Kayla with him. "Much of Heaven's power. Certain things I can do, certain things I can't."

"You're telling me that you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap for the rest of my life," he glares at Castiel.

"I'm sorry," he says regretfully.

"Shove it up your ass," he says coldly, turning his back on them.

"Well at least he's talking now," the brother's whisper behind Kayla.

"I heard that!" the wheelchair bound man snaps.

Castiel turns back around to face Kayla and the brother's, "I don't have much time- we need to talk. Your plan- to kill Lucifer."

"Yeah, you wanna help?" the shorter one asks.

"No. It's foolish. It can't be done, Dean," Castiel immediately replies.

"Oh, thanks for the support," Dean snarks.

"But I believe that I have the solution," Castiel continues. "There are two people, besides Michael, who are strong enough to take on Lucifer. Strong enough to stop the Apocalypse."

"And who's that?" the one that Kayla deduces is Sam asks.

"One is unavailable, having been missing for several millennia. The one who I am going to find is the one who resurrected me and put you on that airplane," Castiel replies. "The one who began everything. God. I'm gonna find God."

Dean closes the door. "God?"

"Yes," Castiel replies.

"God," Dean repeats again.

"Yes! He isn't in Heaven, he has to be somewhere," Castiel tells them.

"Try New Mexico, I heard he's on a tortilla," Dean smirks.

"No, he's not on any flatbread," Castiel replies seriously. Dean shakes his head in despair.

"Listen chuckles, even if there is a God, he is either dead- and that's the generous theory- or..." Kayla glares at him for disrespecting Castiel and God.

"He is out there, Dean," Castiel interrupts.

"-or he is out here and he doesn't give a rats ass about any of us," Dean continues, ignoring Kayla and Castiel. "I mean look around you, man! The world is in the toilet! We are literally at end of days here and He's off somewhere drinking booze out of a coconut! Alright?"

"Enough," Castiel suddenly says. "This is not a theological issue. It's strategic with God's help we can win."

"It's a pipe dream, Cas," Dean insists.

"I killed two angels this week," Castiel interrupts, walking over to Dean. "My brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled, and I did it- all of it- for you. And you failed. You and your brother destroyed the world. And I lost everything- for nothing. So keep you opinions to yourself." Kayla walks over to him and puts her hand on his arm and squeezes, trying to comfort him. He saved her life, it is least she could do. He looks down at her gratefully. Dean looks away.

"You didn't drop in to tear us a new hole," the stranger cuts in. "What is it you want?"

"You are right Bobby. I did come for something," Castiel admits. "The first is an amulet."

"An amulet?" Bobby repeats, looking confused. "What kind?"

"Very rare, very powerful," Castiel explains to them. "It burns hot in God's presence, it'll help me find him."

"Like a- God EMF?" Sam asks. Castiel nods.

"Well I dunno what you're talking about- I got nothing like that," Bobby says.

"I know you don't," Castiel replies, then he looks at Dean, who looks back, confused. Castiel looks down, and Dean looks down too- at the amulet around his neck. "What this?" he asks.

"May I borrow it?" Castiel asks.

"No!" Dean says immediately.

"Dean give it to me," Castiel says firmly.

Dean gapes at him, speechless. "Alright, I guess." He takes it off and holds it for a moment, then slowly hands it over to Castiel. "Don't lose it," he warns him, and Castiel takes it. "Great, now I feel naked," Dean complains.

"Hey Cas, what's the other thing?" Sam asks.

Castiel looks down at Kayla and then he looks at Dean and Sam. "I need you to protect Kayla while I am searching for God. The angels want her, Zachariah in particular has shown an interest in her. And I am positive that the demons want her as well. I know it is asking alot, as she is an untrained civilian, but would you be able to take her with you?"

Dean and Sam look at each other, before turning to Kayla, who promptly hid behind Castiel. "Does she know anything about hunting?" Dean asks Castiel. Castiel looks back at her.

"I know some of the theory, but I have never done anything with guns," she says looking at the floor nervously.

"Cas, I don't know," Dean starts.

"Dean, I don't ask for much from you, so please, for once, just help me," Castiel says.

"Ok Cas, we will," Sam assures him.

Castiel nods his head and turns to Kayla, "Call me if you need me. I will try and find out more about your situation while I am gone. You will be safe with them" He turns back to the brother's and says, "I'll be in touch," before disappearing.

"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby yells.

An uncomfortable silence fills the room. "So Kayla, how did you get caught up in all this demon/ apocalypse mess?" Sam asks her.

Kayla continues to study the floor before shyly looking up, "My dad got possessed by a demon. It killed my mom and tried to kidnap me. My dad didn't survive."

"I'm sorry," Dean says softly.

Kayla shrugs uncomfortably, "Castiel saved me and took me somewhere. Some remote cabin. I've stayed there for the past few days. That's where I read about all those things you hunt. I would have stayed there for longer except some angel called Zachariah showed up. Said that the angels needed me. Castiel sent him away and here I am."

"Bloody hell."

Kayla smiles faintly, "Yeah, that's one way of saying it."

Sam thinks for a minute, "Why do the angels want you?"

"Dunno, Castiel thinks it's because I'm a fallen angel."

"What do ya mean you're a fallen angel?"

"That's what Castiel says?"

Bobby's phone rings, interrupting the conversation and taking all of the attention off of Kayla, much to her pleasure. "Hello?...I can't hear you... where are you?... Colorado? River Pass, Colorado?... Rufus? You there, Rufus?..."

Bobby closes the phone and looks up at Sam, Dean and Kayla. Dean nods.

"We'll go Bobby." He then looks down at Kayla, hesitant about taking a untrained kid along with him. But, after remembering his promise to Cas, he puts a hand on her shoulder and directs her out of the door. The trio climb into the impala and drive off to River Pass, Colorado.

They pull up to a bridge and start to cross, before having to stop due to half of the bridge being missing. They all get out and walk to the edge. "This is the only road in or out," Dean says. Sam pulls out his cellphone and holds it up. "No signal," he says. Kayla pulls her own phone out to check.

"Rufus was right – demons got this place locked down," Dean says.

"Looks like we're hiking in," Sam replies.

"And the hits just keep on coming," Dean comments grabbing hold of Kayla's arm and to help her.

They enter the town of River Pass and walk down the empty street, looking at empty buildings and abandoned cars. Dean and Sam keep Kayla in the middle of them, in the hope of keeping her safe. There's a car turned over on its hood. Dean glances around and notices a sporting goods store to his left, then looks back at the overturned car. There's no one inside. The boys exchange glances over Kayla's head and keep walking. They come to a car with its door open and radio on. Kayla reaches in and turns it off. They then carry on walking. Parked nearby is a red mustang, Dean looks at it and whistles admiringly. They come to another car with its door open. Just beyond the door is a big patch of blood. It leads away, as though someone had been dragged away. As they round the car they hear the sound of a gun being cocked. They whirl around, Dean pulling Kayla behind him.

"Ellen?" Sam gasps.

"Hello boys," she says coldly, not noticing Kayla. The brothers gape at each other, then look back at her.

"What the heck's going on here?" Dean asks before receiving a face full of holy water.

"We're us," he says irritably. She lowers her gun and walks past them, and they follow her. She leads them into a building with a salt line at the door before turning around to face them. "Real glad to see you boys," she says shakily and hugs Dean, before stepping back and slapping him in the face.

"Ow!"

"What, you can't pick up a phone?" she says angrily. "Are ou allergic to giving me piece of mind? What, I gotta find out that you're alive from Rufus?"

"Sorry, Ellen," Dean says looking properly ashamed. Kayla stares at Ellen, wondering what her relationship with the brother is.

"Yeah you better be," she snaps. "You better put me on speed dial, kid."

"Yes ma'am," Dean replies politely. Her face softens as she looks at him. She turns to walk away but then she notices Kayla for the first time.

"Hello, who are you?" she asks kindly, before looking at Dean sharply. "Tell me she's not your daughter!"

"No! God, No!" Dean quickly shouts. Kayla ducks her head down, her blonde hair hiding her blush.

"My name is Kayla. A mutual friend asked them to look after me," Kayla explains quietly, glancing up.

"How old are you honey?" Ellen asks softly while leading the trio downstairs.

"I'm 16." Sam and Dean pause, looking shocked. They hadn't realised how young she is.

Ellen shakes her head, "So young."

"So what's going on, Ellen?" Dean asks as they walk down the stairs.

"More than I can handle alone," she replies.

"How many demons are there?" Sam asks.

"Pretty much the whole town, minus the dead people and these guys," Ellen says, pausing and turning around. "So- this is it right? End of time? It's gotta be,"

"Seems like it," Sam says. She nods and goes to the door in front of them, she knocks. "It's me." Someone looks through the peep hole, and then the door is opened. Inside are a bunch of people, all sitting around nervously. There's a pregnant woman and a priest, and several others. "This is Sam, Dean and Kayla," Ellen introduces them. "They're hunters- here to help."

"You guys hip to this whole demon thing?" asks the young man who opened the door.

"Yeah are you?" Dean asks.

"My wife's eyes turned black," says a man in a suit. "She came at me with a brick. Kinda makes you embrace the paranormal."

"Alright, catch us up," Dean says, turning back to Ellen.

"I doubt I know much more than you," she replies. "Rufus called – said he was in town investigating omens. All of a sudden the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby, and..."

"You were hunting with Jo?" Dean asks, surprised.

"Who's Jo?" Kayla asks Sam quietly.

"She's Ellen's daughter and another hunter," Sam replies, Kayla smiles at him in thanks.

Ellen nods. "Yeah, for a while now. We got here and the place – well the place was like you see it. Couldn't find Rufus, then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking for her when I found you."

"Well don't worry, we'll find her," Dean promises.

"Either way, these people cannot just sit here," Sam cuts in. "We gotta get them out now."

"No, it's not that easy," Ellen says. "I've been trying. We already made a run for it once."

"What happened?" Kayla asks.

"There used to be twenty of us," Ellen says. The trio glance up, there can only be about ten people in the room. Kayla starts to look slightly ill at the thought of all that death. Seeing this, Dean places his hand on her shoulder and gently squeezes. She looks up and him and leans into him, craving reassurance.

"Well there's four of us now," Dean says. Kayla smiles slightly at being called a hunter along with Dean, Sam and Ellen.

"You don't know what it's like out there. Demons are everywhere," Ellen says. "We won't be able to cover everybody."

"What if we give everyone guns?" Sam asks.

"What, are you gonna arm up Baby Bump over here?" Dean asks sarcastically.

"More salt we can fire at once more demons we can keep away," Sam replies. Dean thinks for a second.

"There's a sporting goods store we passed on the way in, I bet they got guns."

"Alright – you stay, we'll go," Sam says to Ellen.

"What about..." Ellen begins.

"If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring 'em back," Sam replies.

Dean turns to Kayla and says, "I want you to stay her with Ellen and learn how to use the gun, ok?"

Kayla nods and walks over to Ellen. "Hey, Dean told me ask you if you could teach me how to use a gun."

"Sure honey, let's start now."

Ellen leads Kayla over to the corner of the room. She takes the clip out of the gun. "Ok, the first thing you have to do is get used to holding the gun. It will be heavier when it has bullets in." She passes the gun to Kayla, who holds it gingerly. Ellen then spends the next half an hour showing Kayla how to use both the pistols and the shotguns.

"Why are you involved in all of this?" Ellen asks Kayla once they have finished.

Kayla sighs, "Demons killed my family. Someone saved me and took me to Sam and Dean." She took a deep breath, holding back tears. Ellen looked at her closely, "You haven't gotten over their deaths yet have you?" Kayla shook her head, tears now streaming down her face. Ellen pulls her into a hug and allows her to sob into her chest, releasing her pain at her parent's deaths.

When Sam and Dean came back, they saw Kayla sitting down; evidence of her tears was still on her face. They looked over at Ellen, who indicated that she would tell them later. "We've got enough guns and rock salt to arm everyone." One by one everyone got up to get a gun.

"You know your way around a gun at all?" Dean asks the guy who was guarding the door. He picks up the shotgun and cocks it, then takes it apart and puts it on the table. Dean smiles, "Where'd you serve?"

"Fallujah," the man replies. "Two tours. Got back a little over a year ago. Takes one to know one- where'd you serve?"

Dean smirks humourlessly, "Hell."

"No seriously."

"Seriously. Hell," Dean repeats.

Sam and Kayla are sitting at the side of the room. Sam watching Dean and Kayla watching the pregnant woman, almost as though she is in a trance. Dean walks over and joins them. "Hey. What is wrong?"

Sam hesitates, "It's just... at the store. Those demons were possessing teenagers. I mean, I had to slit some kid's throat."

"Come on Sam, you had to," Dean replies.

"I know. It's just, it used to be like... I just wish I could save people. Like I used to," Sam finishes.

Dean glances at Kayla, making sure that she was still zoned out. "What, you mean when you were all hopped-up on demon blood?" Dean asks.

"I didn't say that," Sam says.

"I'll be back," Ellen says, walking up to them.

"Where're you going?" Dean asks.

"I can't sit here on my ass," Ellen says. "My daughter's out there somewhere. If I'm not back int half an hour, go. Get these people out of here."

"No wait, I'll go with you," Sam says as the boys stand up. Kayla remains sitting, still lost in her own little world.

"Whoa- hold on. Can I talk to you for a second?" Dean asks Sam. They walk off. Ellen bends down to look at Kayla.

"Are you alright?" she asks. Kayla jumps, obviously startled.

"Ye-yeah, I'm fine," she stutters. Ellen nods, not believing her, but before she can say anything, Sam slams Dean into a wall.

"If you actually think..." Sam begins, his tone menacing, before he stops and walks away. Dean walks back in.

"Go on Ellen. I'll look after this lot."

She nods and gets up to leave. As she passes Dean, she whispers, "Keep an eye on Kayla. Something is bothering her." Dean nods and walks over to Kayla, standing next to her and placing his hand on her shoulder. Slowly, Kayla leans her head against it.

"Where have Sam and Ellen gone?" she asks quietly.

"To find Jo," Dean replies. Kayla nods her head.

While Sam and Ellen are gone, Dean tries to ask Kayla what's wrong, but stops himself everytime, unsure as to how to ask, afterall, he has only known her for a few hours. Not long after Ellen and Sam leave, Kayla curls up in a ball and goes to sleep. She shivers slightly, so Dean puts his leather jacket over her to keep her warm. Dean starts to pace, occasionally glancing over at Kayla, making sure she was alright. The priest is praying with the group when there is a knock on the door. Dean walks over and lets Ellen in. "Where is Sam?" he immediately asks. She shakes her head sadly.

"They took him"? the pregnant girls asks. "Demons took him? Oh my God. What if they're in here? The demons?"

"Could they get in?" the priest asks.

"No," Dean says, picking up his gun. "Everybody sit tight! I gotta..." He stops, glancing at the sleeping Kayla and the door before sighing. "We need to get a plan together. Tell me everything."

"Dean, one of them is in Jo," Ellen says. "We gotta get it out without hurting her. It called me a bitch."

"Bruise a little easy, don't you think?" Dean asks.

"No, that's not what I meant," Ellen says. "It called me a black-eyed bitch. What kind of demons are these? Holy water and salt roll right off. My daughter may be an idiot, but she's not stupid. She wears an anti-possession charm. It's all kind of weird, right?"

"The whole thing's off," Dean agrees, walking over and waking up Kayla.

"What's your instinct?" Ellen asks, smiling at Kayla. Who smiles back sleepily, attempting to catch up with the conversation.

"My instinct? My instinct is to call Bobby and ask for help. Or Sam," Dean says.

"Well tough. All you got is me and all I got is you, so let's figure it out," Ellen snaps.

"What about me?" Kayla asks, sounding hurt.

"Well. Honey, you don't really know much so you can't be called a Hunter," Ellen tells her. Kayla nods her head, accepting it, if not particularly liking it.

"Alright," Dean says, still surprised at Ellen's tone.

Ellen smiles at him. "Do you know why Rufus came to town? Was there a specific omen?" Dean asks.

"He said something about water," Ellen remembers. "That's all I know."

"Water?" Kayla asks skeptically.

"Padre – you know what she's talking about?" Dean asks. "Water?"

"The river," the priest says. "It ran polluted all of a sudden."

"When?" Kayla asks, trying to be helpful. Dean shoots her a smile.

"Last Wednesday," says the young man who used to be in the army. "The demon thing started up the next day."

"Anything else? Anything," Dean asks. The men exchange glances.

"Maybe, but it's pretty random," the younger man says.

"Good, random's good," Dean replies.

"Shooting star? Does that count?" the man asks. "Real big. Same night, Wednesday."

"Oh that definitely counts," Dean replies, smiling at Kayla's confused look. He gets up and goes to a bookshelf, taking down a book and flipping to a certain page.

"So uh – you think all this comes from outer space?" the man asks.

"This isn't X-Files, pal," Dean responds, going back to the book and finally finding the page he wants. "'And there fell a great star from Heaven'," he reads, "'Burning like a torch. And it fell upon the river, and the name of the star was Wormwood, and many men died'."

"Revelation 8:10," the priest says. "Are you saying that this is about the apocalypse?"

"You could say," Dean answers. "Now these specific omens – they're prelude to what?"

"The four horsemen," the priest replies.

"And which one rides the red horse?" Kayla asks, remembering the shiny red car parked outside.

"War," the priest says. Dean looks at Ellen.

"The cherry mustang parked on Main?" Kayla says, speaking Dean's thoughts.

"You can't think that a car is..." the priest begins.

"It's the way I'd roll," Dean interrupts. "I mean think about it. It all makes sense. If War's a dude, and he's here, maybe he's messing with our heads."

"Turning us on each other," Kayla breaths, Ellen nodding in agreement.

"You said Jo called you a black-eyed bitch?" Dean says.

"They think we're demons, we think they're demons. What if there's no demons at all, and we're all just killing each other?" Kayla says. "It would be the easiest way to kill everyone."

"Wait – just back up," the priest says. "It's the apocalypse?"

"Sorry padre," Dean says.

"So now you're saying that there are no demons, and that War is a guy," the young man is saying to Dean.

"You believed crazy before," Kayla says, walking over. Suddenly, there's pounding on the door. "Open up! Open up Ellen, it's Roger!" They open the door, and Roger runs in. "I saw them! I saw the demons. They know we're trying to leave. They said they're gonna pick us off, one by one."

"When did he leave?" Kayla wonders out loud.

"Wait wait wait. What?" Dean says.

"I thought you said there were no demons," the young man says.

"There's not!" Dean says. "Where did you go?"

"I thought someone should go out and see what's going on," Roger says.

"Where did you see the demons, and what did they say exactly?" Dean asks.

"If we just sit here, we're gonna be dead," the young man says.

"No we're not," Dean snaps.

"They're gonna kill us," Roger insists. "Unless we kill them first."

"Okay, hold on, hold on," Dean says, thinking.

"No man, we got people to protect," the young man says, turning away. "Let the able-bodied go, hunt some demons." He picks up a gun.

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dean says. "Slow your roll, this is not a demon thing." He looks at Roger, who winks at him and twists the ring.

"Look at their eyes!" he says suddenly. "They're demons!" The people see that Ellen, Dean and Kayla have black eyes.

"Go go go!" Dean pushes Ellen and Kayla out the door and they just get out before the shooting starts causing Kayla to shriek.

Kayla, Dean and Ellen run down the street towards the house where Ellen saw Jo. They sneak over to a window, where Dean sees a pipe bomb. "Right," he whispers. "I want you two to stand over there. Once I've got Rufus, Ellen, you're gonna get Jo and Kayla, you're gonna stand watch. Ok?" Kayla and Ellen both nod. They move further away from the window while Dean attempts to set off the bomb. They both hear an explosion and go running over. Dean has already got Rufus, while Ellen disappears. "Now you listen up, Joanna Beth Harvelle." Kayla hears her say.

Dean is struggling with Rufus. "Listen to me!" he says desperately. "I'm not a demon! Think, Rufus, all those omens!"

"You go to Hell!" Rufus says, kneeing Dean and knocking him against the wall. Kayla runs forward while Rufus goes for his gun, but Dean shoves him against the wall again, shooting her a look that tells her to stay back. "Rufus – the polluted water, the shooting star, the red mustang – it's War. I'm telling you, it's War!"

"Damn right it is!" Rufus growls, punching Dean in the face. He goes for the gun again, and Dean jumps on him, finally pinning him down. "The horsemen!" he says.

"Horsemen?" Rufus repeats.

"He's turning against each other! You're hallucinating!" Dean says desperately. Rufus thinks, then looks at Dean again. Dean's eyes fade back to green.

"Four horsemen – War," Rufus says.

"Yes," Dean growls.

"You figure this out all by yourself, genius?" Rufus asks. Dean lets him up.

"No, he had help," Kayla interrupts, walking forward. She holds out a hand to help him up.

"Who are you?" he asks her, confused.

"I'm a friend of the Winchester's," she tells him, walking inside behind Dean. As soon as they get in Ellen aims a gun at them.

"Whoa, whoa!" Dean says.

"We all on the same page?" Ellen asks. Jo is standing behind her. They nod.

"Good. Hi Jo," Dean says.

"Hey," Jo says looking at Kayla.

"Hey, I'm Kayla and I'm a friend," she says.

"I'm Jo."

"Pleased to meet you Jo."

"Okay, we gotta find War before everybody in this town kills..." Dean's cut off by sudden gunfire, barely missing them. Dean pulls Kayla to the floor, with the others copying. "Dammit! Where's Sam?" Dean asks.

"Upstairs," Rufus tells him.

"Stay here," Dean tells Kayla before running upstairs and finding Sam.

"Dean! It's not demons. It's..."

"War," Dean says at the exact same time as Sam. "I just can't figure out how he's doing it!"

"The ring," Sam says as Dean unties him.

"The ring? That's right, he turned it, right before he made everyone hallucinate," Dean remembers. "We gotta move, come on." They run downstairs and see Kayla waiting for them.

"It's a massacre out there," she says.

"We've got to find War," Dean tells her and the trio run out of the house. They run towards the red mustang and see War walking towards it. Sam and Dean run forward and grab him. Kayla hangs back, too scared to get involved. War laughs, but Sam pulls out the demon killing knife.

"Whoa, okay," War says. "That's a sweet little knife. But come on. You can't kill War, kiddos!"

"Oh we know," Dean says, and Sam grabs War's hand and cuts off his ring finger, sending the ring flying. Kayla turns her head away, feeling queasy. She notices the ring and bends down to pick it up. When she stands up, War and the mustang are gone.

Dean, Sam and Kayla are sitting at the side of the road at a picnic table. Dean holds up the ring. "So – pit stop at Mount Doom?" Sam smirks, then gets serious.

"Dean..."

"Sam, let's not," Dean says immediately.

"No, listen. This is important," Sam insists.

Kayla stands up. "I'll give you two a minute," she says before walking over to the impala. She sighs and looks up into the sky.

"When did everything get so complicated?" she says out loud. She runs a hand though her blonde hair and closes her eyes. She opens her eyes in time to see Sam get into a pickup truck and drive away. She frowns and walks back over to Dean.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asks softly. He nods his head slowly before sighing and turning to face her.

"C'mon kid, let's get going."

He puts his arm around her shoulder and the pair walk over to the impala. Together, they get in and drive off.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Rewritten

It has been a day and they are still driving. Just aimlessly traversing America, looking for a case. When they had stopped for gas a few hours before, Kayla got her photo album out. It is nearing lunchtime and, predictably, Dean is getting hungry. "Hey you wanna get something to eat?"

Kayla nods. "Sure," she says quietly. Despite having spent a couple of days with him, Kayla was still rather shy.

They both get out of the car and walk towards the diner. Kayla still has her photo album in her hands. Dean looks at it questionably, before deciding not to question it. They walk into the dinner and head over to a table in the corner. They sit opposite each other, Dean placing himself so that he can see the door. An elderly waitress walks over to take their order, "Hey kids, what do you want?"

"I'll have a bacon cheeseburger with fries," Dean says.

"I'll have the same," Kayla tells her.

"Drinks?" the waitress asks.

"Coke for both of us," Kayla answers before Dean can. The waitress smiles and walks away.

"Why did you order me coke?" Dean asks, amazed that she had spoken when she didn't need to.

""You're driving," Kayla says, shrugging. Dean rolls his eyes and looks away. Their food comes and the pair start to eat.

"Y'know, I didn't want to mention this earlier, but while we were in River Pass, I couldn't help but notice that you kept on looking at the pregnant woman," Dean remarks, trying to be casual, but failing.

Kayla sighs, silently debating whether she should answer. After a couple of minutes she says, "When my mom died she was 3 months pregnant. We were all so excited as before she had miscarried before reaching 3 months. We had just finished choosing names the evening before, Jason if it was a boy and Daniella if it was a girl. She had been to have a sonogram earlier in the day. I was supposed to see the picture when I got home, but..." She stops there, unable to continue. Dean gets up and moves round to her side of the table. He pulls her into a hug and gently rubs her back.

"Does it get easier?" she asks him. "Losing your family?"

He shakes his head, "No, it never gets easier. But eventually the pain fades until you learn to get on with your life."

She nods and pulls back, wiping away her tears, "It feels better talking about it."

"Keeping it bottled up never helps," Dean says knowingly.

"Why do I get the feeling that you are speaking from experience?" Kayla says softly.

"Because I am," Dean replies. Kayla sighs softly and snuggles further down into the hug. Slowly, her eyes close and she drifts off to sleep. Rolling his eyes, Dean pulls out some money and puts it on the table. Slowly, he picks Kayla up and exits the diner. Walking over to the impala, he opens the backseat door and gently lays her down. He puts her photo album down next to her and stands up. He goes to shut the door before seeing something glinting out of the corner of his eye. He looks closer and sees a crucifix around Kayla's neck. It was pure silver with a strip of gold running down the middle. Shaking his head, Dean got into the driver's seat and drove off.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Rewritten-

Dean and Kayla have heard about a hunt in Greeley, Pennsylvania. They drive there and get a room in the local motel. They dress up in their suits and drive over to the hospital. They get out and Dean walks round to the trunk. He pulls out a long silver knife. When Kayla goes to reach for one, he shakes his head. She pulls her hand back and pouts slightly. Dean is just glad that she has finally relaxed around him He shakes his head in amusement and closes the trunk of the impala. He tucks the knife into his belt and the pair walk towards the hospital. He holds up a badge and asks about the exanimate patients. The man looks at Kayla, who says, "I'm an intern." He nods his head believing her. The pair then walk into the room.

Later that night they find the vampire who is causing all the chaos. Dean pins it to the hood of the impala and stabs it. "Eat it, Twilight," he growls. He then proceeds to chop off the vampires head.

"Goodbye Twilight," Kayla smirks. She then starts to help Dean clean the blood off of the impala. They then get in the car and drive back to the motel. Lynyrd Skynrd is playing on the radio. Dean listens to it and glances over at the passenger seat, then at the back seat where Kayla is laying down, dancing to a song on her IPod. They reach the motel and Dean leans over the seat to poke Kayla in the stomach. She jumps up and turns off her IPod. "We're here," Dean tells her.

She huffs and lays back down, "I don't wanna walk."

"Tough," Dean says, getting out of the car.

"But Deeeean," she whines, pouting. He sighs and opens the door next to her feet. He pulls her out by her feet. He then caries her in, in a fireman's lift. He throws her down onto the bed and walks into the bathroom. Kayla smiles happily, glad that she still can. He takes off his jacket and starts to clean the blood off of it. Castiel then appears behind him. Dean looks up and jumps, "Don't do that!"

"Hello Dean," Cas says.

"Hey Cas!" Kayla yells, still laying on the bed. Dean turns around and looks at Cas, who is standing very close to him.

"Cas," Dean says, looking uncomfortable. "We've talked about this. Personal space."

"My apologies," Cas says, stepping back, with Kayla laughing in the background. Dean picks up and jacket and crosses the room to stand near the bed. He throws the jacket on Kayla, shutting her up. "How'd you find us? I thought we were flying below angel radar."

"You are. Bobby told me where you were," Cas explains. "Where's Sam?"

Dean pauses. "Me and Sam are taking separate vacations for a while. So... did you find God yet? More importantly, can I have my damn necklace back please?"

"No, I haven't found him yet," Cas says. "That's why I'm here. I need your help."

"With what? The God hunt? I'm not interested."

"I am!" Kayla buts in, happy to help the guy who saved her.

"It's not God, it's someone else," Cas replies.

"Who?" Dean and Kayla ask.

"It's an archangel. The one who killed me," Cas says.

"You wanna hunt down the guy who killed you, Cas?" Kayla asks skeptically. "Hang on, since when have I started calling you Cas?" She sits there silent, thinking of the answer to her question.

"His name is Raphael," Cas continues.

"You were wasted by a teenage-mutant-ninja-angel?" Dean asks. Kayla snorts in laughter.

"I have heard whispers that he's walking the earth," Cas says. "This is a rare opportunity."

"For what? Revenge?" Dean asks.

"Information," Cas corrects.

"So what, you think if you find this dude he's just gonna spill God's address?" Dean asks.

"Yes. Because we are going to trap him and interrogate him," Cas says.

Dean turns and looks at him. "You're serious about this?" Castiel doesn't answer. "So what, I'm Thelma and you're Louise and we're just gonna hold hands and sail off this cliff together?" Dean asks.

"Who am I?" Kayla asks, but is ignored. Castiel stares at him, confused. Dean blinks, then walks past him. "Give me one good reason why I should do this."

"Because you're Michael's vessel and Kayla's a very important fallen angel, no angel will dare harm you," Cas explains.

"Oh, so I'm your bullet shield," Dean realizes.

"I need your help," Cas says again. "Because you two are the only ones who will help me. Please."

"Sure, Cas," Kayla smiles. Dean glares them at before thinking for a second.

"Alright fine. Where is he?" he says. Kayla cheers, in response, Dean pushes her off the bed. She pouts and crosses her arms, staying on the floor. Cas shakes his head at their antics.

"Maine," Castiel says. "Let's go."

He pulls Kayla up and raises his hands to touch their foreheads. However, Dean stops him. "Whoa whoa! Last time you zapped me some place I didn't poop for a week! We're driving." Kayla scrunches her nose in disgust as Cas nods his head in agreement. They pack up their belongings and Dean gives back their key. They then speed off.

The trio climb out of the Impala. "And we're here why?" Dean asks.

"A deputy sheriff laid eyes on the archangel," Cas explains.

"And he still has eyes?" Kayla asks, remembering what Dean had told her about Pamela.

"Alright, what's the plan?"

Cas shrugs. "We'll tell the officer that he witnessed an angel of the lord. And the officer will tell us where the angel is." Dean and Kayla stare at him.

"You're serious? You're gonna walk in there and tell them the truth?" Dean asks skeptically.

"Why not?" Cas asks.

"Because, we're humans," Dean says, pulling out one of his fake badges and tucking it in Castiel's coat.

"And when humans want something, really really bad, we lie." He does up the top button of Cas's shirt and tightens his tie.

"Why?" Cas asks.

"Because. That's how you become president," Dean replies.

Inside, Dean finds Officer Framingham and shows him his badge, then prompts Cas to show him his badge as well. Castiel stands staring at the police officer, then finally pulls out his badge upside down. Dean fixes it, smiling weakly. "He's uh – he's new, and she's an intern. Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Yeah sure," the officer says. "Talk here though – the ear's all blown to hell on this one."

"That happen recently?" Dean asks as they go to his office.

"Yeah, gas station. It's why you're here, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," Dean says quickly. They sit. "You mind just running us through what happened?"

"Uh, call came in. Disturbance out at the pump-n-go on Route Four," Framingham says.

"What kind of disturbance?" Kayla asks.

"Would not have believed my eyes if I hadn't seen it myself," the officer says. "We're talking a riot. Full scale."

"How many?" Dean asks.

"Thirty? Forty? In all out kill-or-be-killed combat," Framingham says.

"Any idea what set them off?" Dean asks.

"It's angels and demons, probably," Castiel says seriously. "They're skirmishing all over the globe." At this, Kayla starts laughing silently.

"Come again? What did he say?" The officer asks, staring at Dean.

"Nothing," Dean says, at the same time as Cas says "Demons" again.

"Nothing," Dean tries, only to be interrupted by Cas one more time. "Demons, you know – drink. Adultery. We all have our demons, Walter. Right?" Dean explains quickly. Glaring at Kayla who is still laughing, holding her ribs.

"I guess," Framingham says, still looking confused.

"Anyway. What happened next?" Dean asks.

"Freak explosion, that's what," the officer replies. "They said it was one of those underground gas tanks, but... I don't think so."

"Why not?" Dean asks.

"Wasn't your usual fireball. It was..." begins Framingham.

"Pure white," Cas finishes.

"Yeah," Framingham says. "Gas station was leveled. Everyone was... it was just horrible. Then I see this one guy, kneeling there. Real focused-like. Not a damn scratch on him."

"You know him?" Dean asks.

"Donnie Finnerman," Framingham says immediately. "Mechanic there."

"And let me guess he just – vanished into thin air?" Dean guesses.

"Uh no, coal shack," the officer says. "He's down at St. Pete's."

"St. Pete's," Cas says seriously, looking at Dean meaningfully.

"Thank you," Dean says, giving him a look. Cas and Dean walk out, Dean dragging the still laughing Kayla out with them.

"You weren't much help, were you?" he asks. She shakes her head, unable to believe what Cas just said to the police officer and climbs into the car. They drive to the hospital.

At the hospital, they look through the window at a man sitting in a wheelchair. He's staring blankly out the window. "I take it that's not Raphael anymore," Kayla says.

"Just an empty vessel," Cas replies.

"So is this what I'm looking at if Michael jumps in my bones?" Dean asks.

"No, not at all. Michael is much more powerful. It'll be far worse for you," Cas says. At Dean's worried look, Kayla slips her hand into his, hoping to comfort him.

Dean is in an old house, looking through John's journal with Kayla, when Cas appears. "Where have you been?" Dean asks.

"Jerusalem," Cas replies.

"Oh. How was it?" Dean asks sarcastically.

"Errid," Cas says, crossing to the table and putting down a jug.

"What is that?" Kayla asks, looking in the jug.

"It's oil," Cas says. "It's very special, and very rare." He sits down.

"Great, we're gonna trap Raphael with a nice vinegarette?" Dean says

. "No," Cas says.

"So, this ritual of yours, when's it gotta go down?" Dean asks.

"Sunrise," Cas says.

"Tell me something – you keep saying we're gonna trap this guy, but isn't that kinda like trapping a hurricane with a butterfly net?" Dean asks.

"No, it's harder," Cas replies.

"Great!" Kayla mutters sarcastically.

"Do we have any chance of surviving this?" Dean tries again.

"You two do," Cas says.

"So odds are, you're a dead man tomorrow?" Dean asks.

"Yes," Cas replies.

"Wow. Well, last night on earth – what are your plans?" Dean asks.

"I just thought I'd sit here quietly," Cas replies. Dean stares.

"Dude, come on. Anything? Booze, women?" Cas looks away. Dean looks at him. "You have been with a woman before. Or an angel at least?" Cas is silent, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Leave him alone Dean," Kayla says.

Dean leans in closer. "You mean to tell me you've never been up there doing a little cloud seeding?"

"Look, I've never had occasion, okay?" Cas says. Dean is shocked.

"Alright." He picks up his jacket. "Let me tell you something. There are two things that I know for certain. One, Bert and Ernie are gay. Two, you are not going to die a virgin. Not on my watch. Let's go." They leave.

"What about me?" Kayla asks as they walk towards the car.

Dean looks down at her, "You- you're gonna stay in the car." She pouts but accepts the decision.

They reach their destination and Dean and Cas get out of the car. Kayla lays down and pulls out her IPod. She watches the pair walk in and closes her eyes.

Kayla is asleep when Dean and Cas get in the car. Dean leans over and turns off her IPod, gently taking the earphones out. He then covers her up in his coat, before driving off.

In St. Pete's hospital, Dean smiles at a pretty nurse who's walking by, then ducks into the room with the patient who used to be possessed by Raphael. Cas and Kayla are already inside.

Castiel pours some of the special oil he got in Jerusalem on the floor around the man's wheelchair. "When the oil burns, no angel can touch or pass through the flames or he dies," he explains.

"Okay, so we trap him a steel cage of holy fire, but one question. How the hell do we get him here?" Dean asks.

"There's... well, almost an open phone line – between a vessel and his angel. One just has to know how to dial," Cas says. He leans down beside the unmoving man's ear and speaks quietly in a different language, then "I'm here, Raphael. Come and get me you little bastard." He stands and moves away.

"Just out of curiosity, what is the average customer wait time to speak to an archangel?" Dean asks. Kayla grins at his silliness.

"Be ready," Cas replies, and drops a match into the oil.

The Impala pulls up the old house where they're staying. "Well that's a day I'll never get back," Dean says. They head up to the door, and Dean opens it.

"Dean – wait," Cas says just as lightning fills the room across from them. The man from the hospital is standing in the middle of it. Cas pulls Kayla behind him, making sure that she is hidden.

"Castiel," the man says in a deep voice.

"Raphael," Cas replies.

"Oh, I thought you were supposed to be impressive," Dean says as they walk closer. "All you do is black out the room?"

"And the Eastern Seaboard," Raphael says. Lightning flashes outside. "It is a testament to my unending mercy that I don't smite you here and now."

"Or maybe you're full of crap," Dean says. "Maybe you're afraid that God'll bring Cas back to life again and smite you and your candy-ass skirt. By the way, hi, I'm Dean."

"I know who you are," Raphael snaps. "And now thanks to him, I know where you are. And I also know where baby Kayla is."

"You won't kill them," Cas says. "You wouldn't dare."

"But I will take them to Michael," Raphael says.

"Well, that sounds terrifying," Dean says. "It does. But uh..." He picks up a beer from the cooler on the floor. "I hate to tell ya, but I'm not going anywhere with you." He takes a drink.

"Surely you remember Zachariah giving you stomach cancer?" Raphael asks. Kayla looks at Dean questioningly.

"Yeah that was – that was hilarious," Dean says, smiling.

"Yes, well. He doesn't have anything close to my imagination," Raphael says dangerously. He walks closer slowly. Dean throws a glance at Castiel.

"I bet you didn't imagine one thing," Dean says.

"What?" Raphael asks.

"We knew you were coming, you stupid son of a bitch," Dean says. Castiel flicks open a lighter and drops it into the circle of oil surrounding Raphael. The oil goes up in flames, almost waist-high. Raphael glares at Dean.

"Don't look at me, it was his idea," Dean says. Castiel looks at him, as Kayla creeps out from behind Cas, studying Raphael with interest.

"Where is he?" Cas asks.

"God?" Raphael says. "Didn't you hear? He's dead, Castiel. Dead."

Castiel shakes his head in denial.

"But there's no other explanation," Raphael goes on. "He's gone for good."

"You're lying," Castiel says.

"Am I? Do you remember the twentieth century? Think the twenty-first is going any better? You think God would have let any of that happen if He were alive?"

"Oh yeah, well then who invented the Chinese Basket Trick?" Dean asks.

"Careful. That's my father you're talking about, boy," Raphael says calmly.

"You say that he's dead, but then you threaten Dean when he insults him. I don't get it," Kayla says.

"Yeah, who would be so proud to know that his son started the frigging apocalypse," Dean says, looking out the window at the storm.

"Who ran off and disappeared. Who left. No instructions. And a world to rot."

"So your daddy ran away and disappeared. He didn't happen to work for the post office, did he?" Dean jokes.

"Is this funny to you? You're living in a Godless universe," Raphael says.

"And? What, you and the other kids just decided to throw an apocalypse while he's gone?" Dean says.

"We're tired," Raphael replies. "We just want it to be over. We just want it to be... paradise."

"So what, God dies and makes you the boss and you think you can do whatever you want?" Dean asks.

"Yes," Raphael says loudly. "And whatever we want, we get." The windows behind them shatter.

Dean covers Kayla with his body as Cas shouts, "If God is dead, why have I returned? Who brought me back?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe Lucifer raised you?" Raphael asks.

"No," Castiel says after a moment.

"Think about it. He needs all the rebellious angels he can find. You know it adds up."

Castiel turns away. "Let's go."

"Castiel. I'm warning you. Do not leave me here," Raphael says. "I will find you."

"Maybe one day," Cas agrees. "But today you're my little bitch." He walks out.

"What he said," Dean says, and follows.

Kayla goes to walk out as well when Raphael shouts, "Kayla, wait."

She turns back around, "What do you want?"

He studies her closely, "You don't know who you are yet. Do you?"

She shakes her head. "If you come with me, you will find out and you will meet your family. Your proper family."

Kayla looks at him and then at the door. "How do I know that I can trust you?" she asks.

"You don't"

"Then I'm not taking that risk." With that said she walks out of the door.

"You are a bigger part of this than you think, Kayla. Soon you will realise that!" he shouts after her.

Dean and Cas are driving, with Kayla asleep in the back seat. Dean looks over at Cas. "You okay?" Cas is silent. "Look, I'll be the first to tell you that this little crusade of yours is nuts, but I do know a little something about missing fathers."

"What do you mean?" Cas asks.

"I mean there were times when I was looking for my dad when... all logic said that he was dead. But I knew, in my heart, that he was still alive. Don't care what some mutant ninja turtle says, Cas. What do you believe?"

"I believe he's out there," Cas replies.

"Good. Then go find him," Dean says.

"What about you?" Cas asks.

"What about me? I dunno. Honestly? I'm good. I can't believe I'm saying that, but I am. I'm really good."

"Even without your brother?" Cas asks.

"Especially without my brother," Dean says after a second. "I mean I spent so much time worrying about the son of a bitch... I mean I've had more fun with you in the past twenty four hours than I've had with Sam in years. And you're not that much fun. It's funny, you know. I've been so chained to my family... but now that I'm alone... hell I'm happy. And besides I've got Kayla". He looks over at Cas, but Cas is gone, and there's only an empty seat.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Rewritten

Outside a motel, a man in a suit is holding out pamphlets to passing people. "Good evening brother, is your soul rapture ready?" he asks. "Thank you brother, God bless." Dean and Kayla pull up in the Impala a few seconds later and walk past. "Excuse me friends, but have you taken time out to think about God's plan for you?" the man in the suit asks. Dean glances at him, whereas Kayla ignores him. "Too friggin' much, pal." They go inside.

"We're talking about the Colt, right?" Dean says into his cellphone as he closes curtains around his new room, Kayla already laying down on the bed. "As in – The Colt?"

"We are," Castiel replies.

"That doesn't make any sense. I mean, why would the demons keep around a gun that... kills demons?" Dean asks.

"What? Dean – I didn't – I didn't get that," Cas says. He's standing at the side of a road, and a big truck has just driven by. Dean laughs as Kayla shakes her head.

"You know, it's kind of funny, talking to a messenger of God on a cellphone. Kinda like watching a Hell's Angel ride a moped."

"This isn't funny, Dean!" Cas says seriously. "The voice says I'm almost out of minutes."

"Okay. Alright. I'm telling you, Cas. The mooks have melted down the gun by now," Dean says.

"Well, I hear differently," Cas replies. "And if it's true, and you are still set on the insane task of killing the Devil, this is how we do it."

"Okay," Dean says tiredly, sitting down on the bed. "Where do we start?"

"Where are you now?" Cas asks.

Dean signals Kayla to tell him, she picks up the key and reads out, "Kansas City... Century Hotel, room 113."

Dean repeats it for Cas.

"I'll be there immediately," Cas says, and starts to hang up.

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dean says. "No no no. Come on man, I just drove like sixteen hours straight. Okay? I'm human. And there's stuff I gotta do."

Cas narrows his eyes. "What stuff?"

"Eat, for example. In this case sleep. I just need like four hours once in a while, okay?"

"Yes," Cas says finally.

"Okay, so you can pop in tomorrow morning," Dean says.

"Yes," Cas says again. "I'll just..." Dean hangs up. "...wait here then," Cas finishes, and stands silently.

Dean's cellphone rings. He reaches across Kayla, half asleep, and picks it up. "Dammit, Cas, I need to sleep," he growls.

"Dean, it's me," Sam says after a second. Dean opens his eyes.

"Sam? It's a quarter past four."

"This is important," Sam insists.

Dean opens the fridge and gets out a beer. "So you're his vessel, huh? Lucifer's wearing you to the prom?"

Sam's driving. "That's what he said."

"Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in, huh Sammy?" Dean comments.

"So that's it, that's your response?" Sam asks.

"What're you looking for?" Dean asks.

"I dunno, a little panic maybe?" Sam suggests.

"Well I guess I'm a little numb about the earth-shattering revelations lately," Dean replies, taking a drink, remembering what Kayla had told him about Raphael's cryptic revelation.

"What're we gonna do about it?" Sam asks.

"What do you want to do about it?" Dean asks.

"I want back in, for starters," Sam says. "

Sam..." Dean begins.

"I mean it," Sam insists. "I'm sick of being a puppet to these sons of bitches. I'm gonna hunt him down, Dean."

"Ah, so we're back to revenge then, are we?" Dean says. "Cause that worked out so well last time."

"Not revenge," Sam says. "Redemption."

"So what, you're just gonna walk back in and we're gonna be the dynamic duo again?" Dean asks.

"Look, Dean, I can do this. I can," Sam replies firmly. "I'm gonna prove it to you."

Dean's silent for a moment, closing his eyes. "Look, Sam. It doesn't matter. Whatever we do... I mean, it turns out that you and me, we're the fire and the oil of the Armageddon. You know on that basis alone, we should just pick a hemisphere. Stay away from each other for good."

"Dean it does not have to be like this. We can fight it," Sam argues.

"Yeah you're right, we can. But not together," Dean begins. "We're not stronger when we're together, Sam. I think we're weaker. Because whatever we have between us – love, family, whatever it is – they are always gonna use it against us. And you know that. We're better off apart. We got a better chance of dodging Michael and Lucifer and this whole damn thing if we just go our own ways."

"Dean, don't do this," Sam begins.

Dean smiles sadly. "Good bye, Sam." He hangs up. He puts the phone back on the table and climbs back into bed, accidently waking Kayla up.

"What was that?" Kayla asks sleepily.

"No-one, just go back to sleep," Dean says gently.

When Kayla woke up a few hours later, she was alone in the bed. She got up and walked around the hotel room. "Dean?" she called.

"He's not here," someone said from behind her. She turns around slowly, nervous at what she will see. Standing next to the bed is Zachariah. "It's good to see you again Kayla. After all, our last conversation was so rudely interrupted."

"Where's Dean?" she growled, slowly climbing out of the bed.

"He's learning a lesson," he says. Kayla looks at him cautiously, before slowly backing away. "Your brother needs you. Together, you can destroy Lucifer and bring about Paradise."

"So you need me to stop Lucifer?" Kayla asks.

"Well, we don't need you, per say. But it will be so much easier with you."

"Why?" Kayla asks cautiously, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"Because you were powerful. But then you felt the pathetic emotions that these puny little humans fell and you went mad because of it. You ripped out your Grace and fell. Somehow you managed to fall into the future, but you fell. Now you need to come with us." Zachariah starts to walk towards her. Kayla backs up until her back hits the wall. She closes her eyes and waits for it to happen. She feels the familiar movement. When she lands she keeps her eyes closed. She then feels someone gently pulling her into a hug.

"It's alright now, you're safe," she hears Cas say. She grips onto his coat and snuggles into his embrace.

"Did you hear what he said?" she asks, her voice slightly muffled.

"Yes."

"Is it true?"

"It is. I have been trying to find your grace, as well as God these past few weeks."

"Any luck?"

"No."

"Shame," she says. Cas hugs her tighter.

"It's good to see you properly, little sister," he whispers.

"I suppose I am your little sister, aren't I?"

"Yes."

They stay like that for a few hours until Cas says, "I've got to go and get Dean." Kayla nods and pulls away.

"Go get him," she says. Cas nods and disappears. Kayla looks at her surroundings for the first time. She is next to a deserted highway. The next moment, Cas and Dean are standing next to her.

"That was pretty nice timing, Cas," Dean says, smiling.

"We had an appointment," Castiel says, smiling too. Dean puts a hand on his shoulder. "Don't ever change." Cas smiles again.

"How did Zachariah find us?" Kayla asks.

Dean pulls her into a hug and says "Long story." He then pulls out his cellphone. "Let's just stay away from Jehovah's Witnesses from now on, okay?"

"Okay?" Kayla repeats, slightly confused.

"What are you doing?" Cas asks.

"Something I should have done in the first place," Dean replies, putting the phone to his ear.

Dean and Kayla wait. "Hey Dean, you never said. What was I like in the future?"

Dean looks down at her, "You were an angel. A powerful one, but you refused to step in. I never actually met you there, and I didn't learn your true name either,, but the future Dean did tell me a bit about you. He said to tell you to 'get involved, as you are the only one who they will listen to'."

She nods slightly confused at this. They continue leaning against the Impala, then look up. A car is coming down the path towards him. It stops, and Sam climbs out. They walk toward each other, with Kayla hanging back, watching.

"Sam," Dean says, and then pulls the demon killing knife out of his pocket and holds it out. Sam looks at him, confused.

"If you're serious," Dean says, "You want back in - you'd better hold onto this. I'm sure you're rusty." Sam looks at him for a moment silently, then takes the knife.

"Look man, I'm sorry," Dean says. "I dunno – whatever I need to be – but I was, uh – wrong."

"What made you change your mind?" Sam asks.

"Long story," Dean replies. "But the point is... maybe we are each other's Achilles heel. Maybe they'll find a way to use us against each other, I dunno. I just know we're all we've got. More than that... we keep each other human."

Sam swallows. "Thank you. Really. Thank you. I won't let you down."

"Oh I know it," Dean says. "I mean, you are the second-best hunter on the planet." They smile.

"So, what do we do now?" Sam asks.

"We make our own future," Dean replies.

"I guess we have no choice," Sam agrees. They walk over to the impala.

"Hey Sam," Kayla runs forward.

"Hey Kayla," Sam smiles, pulling her into a hug. "Still with us then?"

"Yeah, I guess I am," she grins.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Rewritten-

The boys are driving, Kayla's sitting in the back seat, once again listening to her IPod. "So – what's with this job?" Sam asks.

"Dude suffers a head-on collision in a parked car? I'd say that's worth checking out," Dean replies, rolling his eyes at Kayla's dancing and miming.

"Yeah, definitely. But – we've got bigger problems, don't you think?" Sam tries again, giving Kayla a weird look, as he wasn't used to her doing that.

"I'm sure the apocalypse will still be there when we get back," Dean says calmly, then glances at Sam.

"Right. But I mean if the Colt is really out there somewhere..." Sam begins. "I mean if we're really going to ice the devil..."

"This is what we're doing, okay?" Dean interrupts loudly, making Kayla jump.

"End of discussion." Sam is silent, but Dean can tell he's mad. "It's just that this is our first real case back at it together. I think we ought to ease into it, put the training wheels back on. And besides, we've got Kayla now. She's not used to us hunting together, she's only used to me hunting solo."

Sam nods. "So you think I need training wheels."

"No, we. We need training wheels. You and me. As a team. Okay?" Dean looks at him seriously.

"Okay," Sam says, but he's not happy.

Dean looks at him. "I mean, I really want this to be a fresh start, you know? For the both of us." Kayla clears her throat. "And Kayla as well," he hastily adds.

Sam looks at him, a little surprised. "Okay."

"Agents Bonham and Coplan, she's an intern" Dean says to the sheriff as the and Sam hold up their badges.

"Rick Carnagy. Good to know ya. So you're here on account of Cal Hopkins death?"

"That's right," Sam says.

"Well, afraid you came a long way for nothing," Rick says. "We already booked the guy who did it."

The trio exchange glances. "I'm sorry? Who do you think did it?" Kayla asks.

They sit in the sheriff's office as he plays the video Jim took of Cal in the car. Rick shakes his head and turns off the tape. "Sicko taped his own handiwork."

"I don't follow," Kayla says after a second.

"It was Jim Grossman that killed Cal," Rick explains.

"Wait, what?" Dean says.

"Well, he was the only one on the scene for miles," Rick replies.

"They were best friends," Sam says.

"Most violent crime are committed by someone close to the victim," Rick says.

"They are?" Kayla mouths to Sam.

"And how exactly did Jim slam Cal into a windshield with all the force of an eighty-mile-per-hour crash?" Dean asks.

"Drugs maybe?" Rick suggests. Kayla looks even more confused. "Look – you know this ain't brain surgery, boys. Whatever it looks like? That's what it usually is. It's simple."

"Simple. Right," Dean says.

"Right. Um, well if you don't mind we'd like to speak to Jim Grossman anyway," Sam says.

"I was in the house when it happened, I didn't even see it," Jim says. Dean, Sam and Kayla are in his cell, talking to him.

"For argument's sake, say we believe you," Dean says.

"Why would you? The cops didn't," Jim says.

"Well, we're not your typical cops," Kayla replies. "So, please, just tell us what you saw,"

"It's not what I saw, it's what I heard," Jim says. "Tires squealing, glass breaking. It was the car that did it."

"The car?" Sam repeats.

"I mean I heard about the curse, but I just thought it was a load of crap," Jim goes on.

"Curse? What do you mean, curse?" Dean asks.

"The car. Little Bastard," Jim says.

"Little Bastard?" Dean's eyes widen. "As in The Little Bastard?"

"I'm so gonna regret asking this, but what's Little Bastard?" Kayla asks.

"It's James Dean's car. It's the one he was killed in," Dean explains.

"Yeah, that's the one," Jim says. "Cal'd been looking for it for years. Hell, we both had. But he found it first."

Dean leans over towards Sam and Kayla. "Oh we are definitely checking this out."

The trio head into the garage and walk up to the car, which still has blood stains on it. "So, what, this is like Christine?" Sam asks.

"I used to have a friend called Christine," Kayla sighs.

"Oh Christine is fiction. This - this is real," Dean replies, squeezing Kayla's shoulder.

"Okay – enlighten me," Sam says.

"Well after James Dean died, his mechanic bought the wreckage and he fixed it up," Dean says, circling the car. "And it repaid him by falling on him. Then Tony McHenry was killed when it locked up on the racetrack. I mean, death follows this car around like exhaust. Nobody touches it and comes away in one piece. Then in 1970 it vanished off the back of a truck. Nobody's ever seen it since. I'm telling you man, if this car is Little Bastard, I will bet you dollars to donuts it's what killed the guy."

"He's acting like a fangirl!" Kayla whispers to Sam and giggles.

Sam rolls his eyes and asks, "So how do we find out?"

"The only real way to know is the engine number," Dean replies.

Sam nods. "I'm guessing the engine number..."

"On the engine, yeah," Dean sighs.

"I ain't doing it," Kayla says immediately, backing away. The boys put the car on jacks, and walk over to stand with Kayla.

"You want me to do it?" Sam asks.

"No," Dean says quickly. "No, I've got it." He approaches the back of the car. "Okay baby. I'm not gonna hurt you. So don't hurt me." He lays down and slides under the car, a pencil in his mouth and piece of paper in his hand. He sees the engine number, and very slowly takes the pencil out of his mouth. The car creaks ominously above him and he freezes. A second later Sam drops down next to the car.

"Need a flashlight?"

"No," Dean says tightly. "Don't do anything. Just go away."

"You – uh, okay," Sam says. Kayla starts giggling.

"Don't speak. In fact, don't even look at her, she might not like it," Dean warns. Sam gets up, patting Kayla on the back when she can't breathe 'cause she's laughing too hard. Dean swallows hard and lifts the piece of paper. The car shifts again. Dean quickly puts the paper over the number and scratches over it with the pencil, then shoves himself out from under the car and stands up quickly. Sam is watching him calmly with Kayla standing next to him, wiping away her laughter tears. Dean sighs and hands him the paper. "Find out who owned it. Not just the last owner, you gotta take it all the way back to 1955."

Sam raises his eyebrows. "That's a lot of research."

"Well I guess I just made your afternoon," Dean replies, still breathing hard. Kayla giggles again and Dean glares at her.

Dean's sitting at a bar, talking to the bartender. "So you wanna be an actress, huh?" he asks.

"Yeah," she smiles.

"That is so funny, because I am actually an agent," he says, smiling and holding out a card.

"Wow," she says, taking it and smiling.

"You mind filling me up?" Dean asks as his cellphone rings. She nods and takes his glass.

"Thanks – hey, you're a star, alright?" Dean smiles at her and answers the phone. "Yo."

"Hey. It took me a while, but I traced all the car's previous owners," Sam says. He's sitting at the table, papers spread out all around the laptop. Kayla is sitting on one of the beds, playing on her phone.

"Any of them die bloody?" Dean asks.

"Nope. In fact..." Sam stops. He can hear music and people talking over the phone. "Dean, are you at a bar?"

"So that's why he sent me with you!" Kayla exclaims, not taking her eyes off of her phone screen.

"No, no I'm at a restaurant," Dean says quickly. Behind him, the girl puts down his drink.

"Here's your beer."

"Thanks," Dean says. Sam rolls his eyes. "That happens to have a bar," Dean adds.

"I've been working my ass off here," Sam says irritably.

"Hey. World's smallest violin pal. I spent the afternoon up Christine's skirt," Dean reminds him. "I needed a drink. Besides you had Kayla to help."

"Actually, no you didn't and Kayla has spent the entire time on her phone. I swear she's getting more and more like you by the day," Sam says.

"Meaning?" Dean asks.

"She's picking up most of your bad habits," Sam smirks, deliberately misunderstanding.

"Dude shut up. And I meant about the car," Dean growls.

"The car's first owner was a cardiologist in Philadelphia, who drove it till he died in 1972," Sam says.

"So you're saying..." Dean begins.

"That Porsche is not – nor has it ever been – James Dean's car. It's a fake Little Bastard," Sam finishes.

"Well then what was it that killed the guy?" Dean asks.

"Good question," Sam replies.

"I want you to use a fine-tooth comb. The evidence is here." Rick, the sheriff, is standing in the room where the latest victim had died. The rest of his team is there as well, taking pictures and looking around. The boys walk in, with Kayla tagging along.

"Heard you got another weird one," Dean says. Rick joins them in the hall.

"Well, it's a little strange on the surface, I'll admit. But once you look at the facts..." Sam looks at him. "William Hill died from a gunshot wound to the head. No gun, no gunpowder, no bullet."

Dean shrugs. "Nope. Nothing strange about that."

Rick shifts. "There's gotta be a reasonable explanation – there always is!"

"Well what's your reasonable explanation?" Dean asks.

Rick glances around to see if anybody's listening, then whispers "Professional killer."

"Come again?" Kayla says.

"Well, CIA, NSA, one of them trained assassins. Like in Michael Clayton." The boys stare for a long time, whereas Kayla was just trying to figure out what Michael Clayton was.

"Riiight," Dean says.

"Look, you're welcome to look around, but these guys don't leave fingerprints," Rick whispers.

"Mind if we talk with the witness?" Sam asks.

"Be my guest. She's not making any sense," Rick says. "And she's not making any sense in Spanish, either."

"Riiight," Dean says again.

Outside, Ganzuela is sitting on a bench, wrapped in a blanket. She's talking in Spanish to an officer. "Ganzuela Alvarez?" Dean asks, walking up with Sam.

"Yes," she says.

"FBI," Dean says, and the other officer leaves. "Now uh – you said you saw something in the professor's house," Dean prompts. "Right? Something in the window?" She begins speaking in Spanish again and Dean looks at Sam helplessly, who looks back just as helplessly. Kayla sighs and sits down next to Ganzuela, speaking to her in Spanish.

"Nice," Dean says, him and Sam smiling.

"Highschool Spanish," Kayla says, shrugging. Ganzuela keeps talking. "Okay – tall man. Very tall," Kayla translates. "With a long black coat and... a beard? A beard."

"And a sombrero," Ganzuela adds.

"Dude was wearing a sombrero?" Dean says, gaping.

"A hat. Not a..." Kayla says.

"Sombrero alto," Ganzuela says.

"A tall hat?" Kayla asks.

"Oh like a tophat," Dean nods. She shakes her head and keeps talking, motioning above her head. "Like a stovepipe hat?" Dean guesses. She nods. "Oh. You know, like Abraham Lincoln," Dean nods.

"Si. El President Lincoln," she says, starting to cry again. The boys stare, while Kayla says, "Can you repeat that please?"

"Abraham Lincoln killed Mr. Hill," she says again.

"Huh," Dean says.

"So, I go home now?" she asks.

"Si. Gracias," Kayla says, and she leaves.

"Gracias," Dean adds, smiling. Sam gives him a look, while Kayla chuckles at his stupidity.

The trio walk towards the impala. "That was very impressive," Sam whispers to Kayla.

She blushes. "Thanks, it's about time I did something useful. I mean, I just feel like a spare wheel."

"No, you are being useful, so don't speak like that. You remind us what it is we're fighting for, besides you provide us with comic relief and entertainment."

She grins and skips ahead of them to the impala. The boys grin and each other and catch up.

Back at the motel, boys are both on laptops, sitting across from each other. Kayla's sitting behind Dean, looking over his shoulder. Dean's watching the video of Cal's death again. He notices something and runs it back, then freeze-frames it forward. "Whoa."

"What?" Sam asks. Dean holds up the laptop.

"It's a freeze-frame from Jim Grossman's video." Sam looks up. There's a reflection of someone in a red jacket in the wheel well. "Am I crazy or does that look like James Dean?" Dean asks.

"That looks like James Dean," Sam agrees.

"As much as I wanna say that you're crazy, that is James Dean," Kayla says.

Dean puts down the laptop. "So we got Abraham Lincoln, and James Dean? Famous ghosts?"

"Maybe," Sam says.

"Well that's just silly," Dean says, looking away.

"Famous ghost," Kayla giggles.

"Oh no you don't! No more giggling. Giggling is banned!" Dean growls. He tackles her onto the bed and tickles her. She shrieks with laughter.

"No, actually, there's a ton of lore on famous ghosts," Sam replies, rolling his eyes at their antics. "More than the not-famous kinds. I'm actually surprised we haven't run into one before."

"Yeah, but now we've got two of them? Two extremely pissed off ghosts?" Dean asks, getting off Kayla.

"Who are apparently ganking their fans," Sam adds. "Professor Hill was a Civil War nut. He dug Lincoln."

"And Cal must've been a James Dean freak," Dean realizes. "He spent seventeen years of his life tracking down the guy's car." Sam nods. "So you're saying we have two super-famous, super-pissed off ghosts, killing their... super-fans?" Dean asks.

"That's what it looks like," Sam says, shrugging.

"Well that is muchos loco," Dean says.

"Moo-ee," Kayla pronounces correctly. "Not muchos. Stupid." Dean gives her a look.

"Yeah well the big question is what the hell are they doing here."

"Yeah. Ghosts usually haunt the places they lived," Sam says. "I mean, I get Abraham Lincoln at the white house..."

"And James Dean at a racetrack," Dean adds. "But... what the hell are they doing in Canton?"

Sam's on the laptop, looking something up. After a second, he stops. "You've got to be kidding me." Dean looks up from where he's standing by the sink.

"What?" He walks over, dragging Kayla over, and looks at the screen. "You've gotta be kidding me."

The trio are at a wax museum. There's a statue of Abraham Lincoln right there. Dean looks at a model of Ghandi. "Dude, he's short."

"Hey," Sam calls. "Ghandi was a great man."

"For a smurf," Dean replies, Kayla snickers.

A second later a man comes down the stairs towards them. "Sorry to keep you waiting. This is our busiest time of the year."

Dean looks around. There's nobody else in the museum. "This is busy?"

"Well, not right now, but it's early," the man replies.

"It's four thirty," Kayla says.

"So what can I do for you?" the owner asks, deciding to ignore their comments.

"Well we are writing a piece for a travel magazine on how... non-sucky wax museums are," Dean says.

"Oh, that's fantastic! A little press? Just what we need," the owner smiles.

"Great. Well, we're interested in a few of your exhibits... specifically Abraham Lincoln and James Dean," Sam says.

"Two of our most popular displays," the owner nods.

"Oh yeah? So they bring in a lot of visitors?" Sam asks.

"We have our regulars," the owner says.

"I don't suppose that William Hill and Cal Hopkins were regulars, were they?" Kayla asks.

"As a matter of fact they were," the man says. "I heard what happened to them... it's tragic, just tragic. That's not gonna be in the article, is it?"

"No no, of course not," Sam says quickly.

"You know, I gotta tell you, that Lincoln is so life-like," Dean says. "I mean you could just imagine him moving around. You ever seen anything like that?"

"Uh – no," the owner replies, looking confused.

"Well, is there anything you could think of that would make your museum... unusual? You know, for the article?" Sam asks.

"Well I'll say. There isn't another place like us, not anywhere," the owner replies.

"How so?" Kayla says. "

Well for one, that's Honest Abe's real hat," he says, pointing.

"It is?" Sam says.

"Almost like his... remains," Dean says, and Sam and Kayla give him a look. "You wouldn't happen to have any of James Dean's personal effects, would you?"

"Well yeah. We've got his keychain," the owner says. "I got a bunch of stuff. Ghandi's bifocals, this..." He points at his leather jacket.

"And who did that belong to?" Sam asks.

"The Fonz," he says, grinning and giving them the thumbs up. "Seasons 2 through 4."

"Well yeah. That's really cool... ish," Sam says, treading on Kayla's foot before she can say anything. She squeaks and glares at him, forgetting what she was going to say.

"Oh this? This is nothing. I've been working on a new collection of figures," he says. "Stuff that'll really wow the kids."

"The kids?" Dean repeats.

"Yeah. Gen Y. Computer games... cellphones, texting... they're just fads. I'm gonna make wax museums hip again." He gives them another thumbs up, and Dean laughs.

"Yeah, it's so gonna work," Kayla says sarcastically, before walking out.

Outside the motel, Sam opens the trunk and loads their weapons. He heads back into their room. Dean's on the phone and Kayla's in the bathroom. "Yeah, Abraham Lincoln and James Dean, can you believe that?" he's saying. He's facing the window, away from Sam. "Who so kill-crazy? Maybe the apocalypse's got them all hot and bothered. Yeah well, we all know who's fault that is. Well I'm sorry, but it's true." Sam closes the door loudly, and Dean turns. "I'll call you later. Bye." He hangs up.

"What's going on?" Sam asks.

"Did you get the trunk packed up?" Dean asks instead of answering.

"Yeah the trunk's packed," Sam says.

"Who was on the phone?"

"Bobby," Dean replies.

"And?" Sam asks.

"Nothing," Dean says.

"So we're just gonna pretend I didn't hear what I just heard?" Sam says.

Dean shrugs. "Pretend or don't pretend. Whatever floats your boat."

"This was supposed to be a fresh start, Dean," Sam reminds him. Dean picks up his jacket.

"Well, this is about as fresh as it gets. Now are we going or not?" Sam watches him go silently, then sighs. He crosses the room and bangs on the bathroom door. "Time to go Kayla," he calls.

She walks out of the room, "Ready," she smiles. She then looks at Sam closely. "Hey what's up?" she asks softly. He tells her what Dean just said. "I'm gonna kill him," she growls.

"No, let me deal with it," he says. She looks at him and nods.

"Ok Sammy." He smiles at his nickname and the pair walk out.

They head into the museum again, this time with weapons. Dean goes over to the Abraham Lincoln statue and takes off the hat. Sam finds a metal bucket and picks it up, then turns around and stops. Dean is wearing the hat. "Check it out. Four score and seven years ago, I had a funny hat."

"Dean," Sam says, unsmiling.

"We can't have any fun with this?" Dean says, taking it off.

"Let's just torch the objects, torch the ghosts, and get out of here, okay?" Sam says as Dean tosses the hat in the bucket. Dean goes to get the keychain. Sam and Kayla wait, and Sam walks over to the Lincoln statue. He's looking at it closely when suddenly the doors Dean went through shuts.

Sam turns. "Dean? Dean!" He goes to the doors and tries them, but they don't budge. A second later, the air goes cold. Sam turns, gun at the ready. He heads slowly toward the Lincoln statue, while Kayla watches. Suddenly there's an odd noise, and his shotgun flies out of his hand. A second later Ghandi jumps on him from behind, arms wrapped around his neck.

"Sam!" Kayla screams, running forward. Sam quickly slams him against the wall and steps back. Ghandi gets up and circles, then rolls between Sam's legs, pushes Kayla away and jumps on him from behind again. The doors burst open and Dean runs through, looking around.

"Dean!" Sam gasps.

"Is that Ghandi?" Dean yells.

"Yeah!" Sam yells back.

"Dude is squirrely," Dean comments.

"Get the..." Sam chokes.

Dean runs for the wax figure, helping Kayla up on the way. "The what?"

"Glasses!" Sam gasps. Dean throws them in the metal bucket and sets them on fire along with the hat. Ghandi disappears. Sam gasps a bit and Dean looks at him. "You couldn't have been a fan of someone cool? Really? Ghandi?" He looks down at Kayla and frowns, "Are you alright?"

She looks up at him ,rubbing her head, "Yeah, I just hit him head when I was pushed." He nods his head and the trio leave.

The boys are packing. "You ready to blow this joint?" Dean asks.

Sam comes out of the bathroom holding his shaving kit. "Dean, didn't it strike you as strange how Ghandi just... vanished?"

"Strange how?" Kayla asks.

"No screaming, no big flame-out, I mean that isn't the way ghosts usually go," Sam says.

"Still, I torched, he vanished," Dean replies.

"Yeah but – also, I feel like he was trying to... take a bite out of me," Sam goes on.

"A bite?" Dean repeats.

"Too much info Sammy," Kayla groans from the bed, already finished packing.

"Yeah, like he was hungry. But the thing is Ghandi – or, the real Ghandi – he was a..." He stops.

Dean waits. "A what?" Sam doesn't say anything. "Spit it out," Dean says.

"He was a fruitarian," Sam finishes finally. Dean and Kayla laugh.

"Let me get this straight. Your uh – ultimate hero – was not only a short man in diapers, but he was also a fruitarian?"

"That's not the point," Sam tries to interrupt.

"That is good," Dean says anyway. "That is – even for you, that is good."

"Look I'm just saying, I'm not so sure this thing is over," Sam says.

"It was a ghost. It was a weirdly super-charged fruitarian ghost, but it was still a ghost. Now let's go," Dean says, picking up his bag.

Sam huffs. "So first you drag me into town, and now you're dragging me back out."

"You ain't steering this boat," Dean replies. "Let's go, chop chop."

"You know, this isn't going to work," Sam says, and Dean turns back.

"What isn't?"

"Us. You, me, together. I thought it could, but it can't," Sam says, putting his hands on his hips. Kayla sits up and watches the brothers cautiously.

"You're the one that wanted back in, chief," Dean reminds him.

"And you're the one that called me back in," Sam says.

"I still think we got some trust-building to do," Dean admits.

"How long am I gonna be on double-secret probation?" Sam asks.

Dean shrugs. "Until I say so."

"Look," Sam begins. "I know what I did. I know what I've done. And I am trying to climb out of that hole, I am. But you're not making it any easier."

"What, am I supposed to just let you off the hook?" Dean asks.

"No. You can think whatever you want. I deserve it, and worse," Sam says. "Hell, you'll never punish me as much as I'm punishing myself. But the point is, if we're going to be a team, you and I, it has to be a two-way street."

"So we just go back to the way we were before?" Dean asks.

"No, because we were never that way before," Sam says. "Before didn't work. How do you think we got here?"

Dean stares at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Dean, one of the reasons I went off with Ruby... was to get away from you," Sam says.

Dean tilts his head. "What?"

"It made me feel strong. Like I wasn't your kid brother," Sam goes on.

Dean blinks. "Are you saying this is my fault?"

"No, it's my fault," Sam says. "All I'm saying is that if we're gonna do this, we have to do it different. We can't just fall into the same rut."

"What do you want me to do?" Dean asks, and he's getting a little frustrated.

"You're gonna have to let me grow up, for starters," Sam says. Dean's phone rings, and he puts his bag down to answer it.

"Yeah." He looks at Sam for a second. "Yeah. Yeah okay." He hangs up. "I guess you were right about this not being over."

In their suits, the trio head into the police station. "Sheriff Carnagy?" Sam says.

"Sheriff, what happened?" Kayla asks.

"I uh... I don't know," he says, shrugging. He gestures towards two teenage girls sitting in the next room. The boys and Kayla head in.

"Excuse us, girls. Hi. We're with the FBI," Dean says.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Sam asks.

"It was horrible," one of them says. She's crying. Kayla walks over to her and pulls her into a hug.

"Way horrible," the other adds.

"What was horrible?" Sam asks.

"I thought she'd be nice," the first one says.

"I still can't believe it," her friend adds.

"Believe what?" Kayla asks.

"She took Danielle!" the second girl says.

"Who?" Dean asks. The girls exchange glances.

"It's okay. You're safe. Just tell us. Who took your friend?" Sam asks.

"It was Paris Hilton," the second girl says. "She looked really good though."

"Skinny," her friend agrees. "Skinny and fast."

"Wh-what? Huh?" Dean says. Kayla stands there in shock.

"Uh – where did they go?" Sam asks.

"We dunno," one says.

"They just vanished," the second says.

"Would you excuse us for just a minute?" Dean says. The boys step out of the room. Dean pulling Kayla.

"Paris Hilton's not dead as far as we know, right?" Dean says.

"Pretty sure, no," Sam says.

"She hasn't met me, so she's still alive," Kayla says.

"Which means it's not a..." Dean begins.

"Ghost. No," Sam finishes.

"So either Paris Hilton is a homicidal maniac, or..." Dean begins.

"Or we missed something," Sam finishes.

"What do you wanna do?" Kayla asks.

Sam's at the morgue. He pulls out the folder on Cal, and looks at pictures of him dead in the car again. He takes out the body and cuts into the stomach with a scalpel, then reaches inside. "That's ripe," he says, and finally pulls out his hand. In it are two round black things. "What the hell?"

"I can't believe I missed it," Sam says as he comes down the stairs. Dean stands up, while Kayla remains sitting.

"Missed what?"

"I went back over the two vics. There was blood loss. Major," Sam says.

"Well being a gory smear will do that to you," Dean replies.

"No, I mean more blood loss than a car crash or a head wound should cause, almost like..." Sam begins.

"Something's feeding," Dean finishes.

"Also, there were these," Sam says, holding out a bag with the two round black things in it. Dean reaches for it.

"What are those, seeds?"

"Yeah. They were in both vics bellies," Sam says, and Dean snatches his hand back.

Kayla holds her stomach, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"I hope you washed your hands."

"They're unlike any other seed I've seen before, Dean," Sam says, looking at them closer.

"Wow, just when I thought you couldn't get any geekier," Dean comments, and heads for the car.

Sam's on the laptop again, looking up the seeds. "Yahtzi."

Dean looks up from where he's sitting on his bed talking with Kayla. "What?"

"The seeds aren't from around here. In fact, they aren't from any tree or plant in the country," Sam says.

"Where are they from?" Dean asks.

"Eastern Europe. From a forest in the Balkans, which is not even there anymore. They chopped it down like thirty years ago," Sam tells him.

"So?" Dean says.

"So, local legend has it that the forest was guarded by a Pagan god, whose name was Leshi. Uh, a mischevious god, could take on infinite forms..."

"And let me guess. He liked to munch on his fans," Kayla says.

Sam huffs. "Yup. 'Could be appeased only with the blood from his worshippers'. It would drain them, then stuff their stomachs with the seeds," Sam reads.

"How does he do it?" Dean wonders. "What, he touches James Dean's keychain and then morphs into James Dean?"

"Hmm. That's a good a guess as any," Sam replies.

Dean leans over to look at the screen. "Yeah well, whatever. How do we kill him?"

"It says here to chop off his head with an iron axe," Sam answers.

"Alright. Let's go gank ourselves a Paris Hilton," Dean says.

"Whoo, hoo!" Kayla cheers, pleased at the thought of beheading Paris Hilton.

The trio head inside, Dean carrying an iron axe, Sam holding a flashlight and Kayla carrying nothing. There's nothing weird in the museum itself, until Sam notices a closed door. It has a sign on it that reads "Closed for renovations – Danger – Do not enter". He whistles for Dean, and they go through. On the other side is a forest, and a fake house. A wax figure is standing outside it. Sam turns off the flashlight and they start forward. A second later, Sam sees a girl tied to a tree. "She alive?" Dean calls.

Sam checks her pulse. "Yeah. Barely." Suddenly, the axe flies from Dean's hand and sticks in a tree. Paris Hilton is standing behind him. She hits him until he falls, and Sam starts forward. She flips her hair and then throws Sam into a pillar by the house, knocking him unconscious. Dean shakes his head and looks up. "Awesome," Paris smiles, and knocks him out. Kayla runs forward, but stops when Paris looks towards her. She then finds herself flying backwards into the tree.

The three wake up tied to trees. Paris is sitting nearby, filing her nails on a knife. The boys exchange glances, looking from Paris to Kayla.

"Oh. I'm so glad you're awake for this," she says. "This is gonna be huge."

"Super. Wouldn't wanna miss it," Dean says, tugging at the rope around his right wrist.

"I mean, I've been stuffing myself with fast food lately," she says. "So it's nice to do the ritual right. Prepare a nice low meal for a change."

"Just like the good old days, huh," Sam says.

She smiles at him. "You have no idea. People adored me. They used to throw themselves at me – with smiles on their faces."

Dean smirks. "I guess these days nobody gives a flying crap about some back-woods forest god, huh?"

"No. Not since they cut down my forest and built a Yugo plant," she says.

"March of progress, sister," Dean replies.

"For years now, I've been wandering... hungry. Scared. Scrounging for scraps. It's so not sexy. But then, the best thing ever happened. Someone tripped the apocalypse. And I thought, what the hell. I'm tired of watching what I eat. I wanna pig out. So I found this little place. It's awesome. Adoring fans stroll right in the door."

"Yeah. But they're not your fans," Sam says.

"So? They worship Lincoln, Ghandi, Hilton... whatever. I'll take what I can get," she replies.

"You know I gotta tell you – you are not the first god we've met, but you are the nuttiest," Dean says, Kayla shoots him at look.

"No, you people. You're the crazy ones," she says. "You used to worship gods. But this?" She motions to her body. "This is what passes for idolatry? Celebrities? What have they got besides small dogs and spray tans. You people used to have old time religion. Now you have Us Weekly."

"I dunno, I'm more of a penthouse forum man myself," Dean says.

She stands up and walks over to him. "Maybe. But there's still a lot of yummy meat on those bones boy." Dean looks at her.

"Well I hate to break it to you sister, but you can't eat me. See I'm not a Paris Hilton BFF. I've never even seen House of Wax." Sam looks at him.

"No. But I can totally read your mind, Dean," she smiles. "I know who your hero is. Your daddy. Am I right? And this belonged to him. Didn't it?" She walks over to the tree where the axe is stuck. Dean pulls at his hand again. "Poor little Dean. All you ever wanted as to be loved by your idol," she says. "One distant father figure, coming right up." She reaches for the axe just as Dean pulls his hands free and runs, tackling her. He starts to hit her, but she hits him instead and knocks him down, then leans over keeps punching him. Sam breaks out of the ropes and jumps over them, grabbing the axe. Dean manages to hit her, and she falls off of him. He quickly rolls aside, and Sam brings the axe down over and over, chopping off her head. Blood sprays his face. Panting, he turns to look at Dean, who's still on the ground.

"Not a word," Dean says.

Sam smiles. "Dude. You just whaled on by Paris Hilton."

"Shut up," Dean replies.

"Hey, can someone let me down?" Kayla calls shakily. Sam and Dean exchange looks before Sam goes and cuts Kayla's ropes.

Dean is talking on his cellphone as the trio leave the motel. "Uh huh. Alright. Thank you." He hangs up. "Sheriff Carnagy. Danielle's gonna be alright. She's sworn off The Simple Life, but other than that..."

"Glad she's okay," Sam says.

"It gets better," Dean smiles. "Sheriff's putting out an APP on Paris Hilton. That oughta be good." He opens the trunk and they put in their bags.

"Hey listen, I was thinking about what you said yesterday," Dean says. "About me keeping too tight of a leash on you? You know, maybe you're right." Sam listens, as Kayla walks round to her door. "I mean, you know I'm not exactly Mr. Innocent in this whole mess either. I did break the first seal," Dean goes on.

"You didn't know," Sam says.

"Yeah well neither did you," Dean replies. "I'm not saying demon blood was a great way to go, but you did kill Lillith."

"And started the apocalypse," Sam reminds him.

"Which neither of us saw coming. I mean who would've thought killing Lillith would be a bad thing?" Dean says. Sam doesn't say anything. "The point is, I was so worried about watching your every move that I didn't see what it was actually doing to you," Dean keeps going. "So for that I'm sorry."

"Thanks," Sam says.

Dean closes the trunk. "So where do we go from here?"

"The way I see it, we got one shot at surviving this," Sam says.

"What's that?" Dean asks.

"Maybe I am on deck for the Devil, maybe the same with you and Michael. Maybe there's no changing that," Sam begins.

"Well that's encouraging," Kayla interrupts, deciding that the awkward part of the conversation was over.

"But, we can stop wringing our hands over it," Sam interrupts. "We gotta just grab on to whatever's in front of us and kick it's ass, and go down fighting."

Dean blinks at him for a second, then cocks his head. "I can get on board with that."

Sam nods. "Okay. But we're gonna have to do it on the same level."

Dean nods, smiling a little. "You got it." They look at each for a moment, then Dean turns.

"What do you say we get the hell out of here."

"Hell yeah," Sam agrees, Kayla nods and climbs into the back of the impala. Dean starts to go for the driver's seat, then stops. "Hey." Sam turns back. Dean turns around and holds out the keys. "You wanna drive?"

Sam looks at him in surprise. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I could – I could use a nap," Dean replies. Sam nods and takes the keys. They switch places, get in the car, and drive away.

"Why do you never let me drive?" Kayla asks.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Rewritten-

"Agents Page and Plant, with intern, FBI," Dean says as the boys hold out their badges.

"Gentlemen, Miss – what brings you by?" a man in a white coat asks.

"We need to see Amber Greer's body," Sam replies.

"Really? What for?" the man asks.

"The police report said something – clawed through her skull?" Dean says.

"You didn't read the autopsy report that I emailed out this morning?" the man asks.

"We uh – we had server issues," Kayla replies., smiling man leads them over to the wall and pulls out the girl's body, on a metal slab. He uncovers it. The whole side of her head has deep cuts in it.

"When they brought her in, we thought she was attacked by a wolf or something," the doctor explains.

"Or something," Dean agrees, glancing at Sam and Kayla.

"But we were wrong," the doctor says, holding out a plastic bag.

Sam looks. "Is that...?"

"It's a press-on nail," the doctor finishes. "We found it in her temporal lobe."

"Is that even possible?" Sam asks.

"Wait – you're saying that she did this to herself?" Dean cuts in.

"Uh huh. She scratched her brains out," the man replies. "It'd take hours, and it'd hurt like hell, but – sure, it's possible."

"How?" Kayla asks, keeping her eyes away from the body in front of her.

"Pick your acronym. OCD, PCP – it all spells crazy. My guess? Some kind of phantom itch." Dean lifts the edge of the sheet and looks at her hand – sure enough, she's wearing the long blue nails, and one is missing.

"Phantom itch?" Sam repeats.

"Yup," the doctor says, sliding Amber's body back in. "All it takes is somebody talking about an itch, or thinking about one even, and suddenly you can't stop scratching."

"Thanks doc," Sam says, and the man leaves. Sam scratches his neck and Dean rubs his ear as they start to leave.

"Okay, now some of these questions might seem a bit odd," Sam begins, "But please, just bear with me." The boys are at the house where Amber died, talking to the parents of the boy. Kayla was sitting in the impala, still getting over the sight of the girls scratched out brains. "Have you noticed any cold spots in the house?"

"Uh, no," the husband replies. As Sam goes on, Dean wanders into the house, looking around. He runs into Jimmy, who's standing watching him.

"What're you looking for?" he asks.

"Don't know yet," Dean replies, walking closer. "It's Jimmy, right?" The boy nods. "So Amber was your baby-sitter?" Dean asks.

"Yes sir," Jimmy says.

"Yeah, most of my baby-sitters sucked," Dean agrees. "Especially Miss. Chancy. She only cared about two things. Dynasty, and bedtime. Did you see anything strange that night?"

"No sir," Jimmy says immediately, then looks down.

"You sure about that?" Dean asks.

"I – I would tell you if I knew something. I promise," Jimmy says. "One hundred percent! Cross my heart."

Dean looks around. "Well Jimmy, I happen to know you're lying."

"I'm not," Jimmy replies quickly.

Dean leans down and puts his hand on the kid's shoulder. "We gonna start talking truth, or are you and me gonna have to take a little trip downtown?"

Outside, Dean holds up a pack of itching powder. Kayla looks at it wearily. "Kid said he put this on the baby-sitter's hairbrush," he says to Sam.

"Dean, there's no way itching powder made that girl scratch her brains out," Sam replies. "It's just ground up maple seeds."

"If you have any other theories, I'm open to them," Dean says.

Sam's phone rings, and he picks it up. "Yup? Yeah, we'll be right there." They get in the car.

The doctors are just zipping up the body bag when the boys arrive. "What happened?" Dean asks. The same doctor as before is there. "Guy got electrocuted," he says.

"Any idea how?" Kayla asks.

"Maybe a loose wire, or a piece of equipment shorted out... so far we haven't found anything."

"Any witnesses?" Sam asks.

"Yeah. Guy in there – Mr. Stanley," the doctor says. There's an old man sitting in a chair by the window. "He says he saw it, but he's not making a lick of sense. Senile."

"Thanks," Sam says, and they head in.

"Uh, Mr. Stanley?" Sam begins.

"It was just a joke," the old man says quietly. "I didn't know it would really work."

"What would work?" Kayla asks gently.

"All I did was shake his hand," the old man says, holding out his hand. There's a joybuzzer in his palm. The trio look at each other.

Dean puts on protective gloves and a mask, then puts the joybuzzer onto his finger. He turns to Sam. "You ready?"

"Hit it, Mr. Wizard," Sam replies, putting on his own safety glasses, Kayla just closes her eyes and buries her head in Sam's chest. There's a big ham sitting on the table in a cooking pan, and Dean puts his hand on it. Electricity flows out of the joybuzzer into the ham, cooking it all the way through. The boys stare.

"That'll do, pig," Dean says. Kayla pulls away from Sam and stares at the ham.

"What the hell?" Sam says, looking closer. "That crap isn't supposed to work!"

"This thing doesn't even have batteries," Dean adds, taking off the glove.

"So what, are we looking at cursed objects?" Sam guesses.

"Sounds good," Dean replies. "Maybe there's a powerful witch in town..." He takes out his pocket knife and cuts off a piece of the ham, then eats it. "Is there any link between the joybuzzer and the itching powder?"

"Uh, one was made in China, the other Mexico. But they were both bought from the same store," Sam replies. Dean cuts off another piece of ham and holds it out to Sam, who shakes his head, so he eats it. He tries offering a piece to Kayla but the look on her face makes him decide otherwise.

The boys and Kayla head into the joke shop. "Sam," Dean whispers, picking up a whoopee cushion and grinning. Sam gives him a look and shakes his head.

"Just like a child," Kayla mutters. A second later, a man comes out of the back room.

"Welcome to the Conjurarium. Sanctum of magic and mystery."

"You the owner?" Sam asks.

"Yup," the man says, walking up.

"Sold any itching powder or joybuzzers lately?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. Grand total of one of each. They aren't exactly big ticket items," the owner says. "You kids here to buy something, or...?" Dean holds up the whoopee cushion and hands the man some money.

"So, you get many customers?" Sam asks.

He shrugs. "Kids come in. They don't buy much, but they're more than happy to break stuff. These days all they care about are iPhones, and those kissing vampire movies. The whole thing makes me just..."

"Angry?" Dean finishes.

"Hey, not all teenagers are like that!" Kayla exclaims.

"Yeah, yeah. I am angry," the owner nods. "This shop has been my life for twenty years! And now it's wasting away to nothing."

"Which is why you hate them," Dean encourages.

"I suppose," the owner says.

Dean nods. "You wish there was something you could do about it."

"Yeah. I guess I do," the man agrees.

"So you're taking revenge," Dean says, picking up a rubber chicken. "With this." He holds up the joybuzzer, then zaps the chicken. The man yells and jumps back in shock as the chicken melts all over the counter. The boys stare in surprise.

"Yeah, something tells me this guy is not a powerful witch," Kayla says.

"Sorry. Sorry," Dean says. They leave in a hurry.

Sam is looking at the dad, who is laying in bed. His mouth is swollen, and he pushes away a drink that the nurse offers him. Sam goes out into the hallway, where Dean is talking to a nurse and Kayla is leaning on the wall looking bored. "Well I appreciate that, Nurse... Freemont," he says, looking at her ID.

"Please," she says, "Call me Jenn."

"Oh. Jenn it is," Dean smiles. Kayla fakes gagging. She leaves, and Dean grins at Sam.

"What's up with Toothless? Cavity creeps get a hold of him?"

"Yeah," Sam says. "Close. He wrote up a description. Five foot ten, three hundred and fifty pounds, wings, and a pink tutu. Said it was the tooth fairy."

"Sounds like my old next door neighbour," Kayla mutters.

Dean stares. "So, he's obviously whacked-out on painkillers."

"Maybe," Sam says. "Whatever it was got in past locked doors and windows, without triggering the alarm."

"Come on, the tooth fairy?" Dean says.

"And, it left thirty-two quarters underneath his pillow," Sam adds. "One for each tooth."

"Well, I will see your crazy and raise you some," Dean says. "There's a couple of kids upstairs with stomach ulcers – they say they got it from mixing poprocks and coke. Another guy... his face froze that way."

"What way?" Sam asks. Dean glances around first, then puts his hands in his mouth and pulls his lips out and crosses his eyes. Sam stares and Kayla laughs. "He uh – held it too long, and it... stuck," Dean explains quietly. "They're flying out a plastic surgeon." Dean rubs his jaw.

"So, if you add all that up... I got nothing," Sam admits.

"I thought sea monkeys were real," Dean says as he follows Sam down the hallway.

"They are. They're brine shrimp," Sam says.

"No no no, I mean like in the ads, you know like the sea monkey wife cooks the pot roast for the sea monkey husband and the sea monkey kids play with the dog in the sea monkey castle... real. I mean I was six, but I believed it."

"Okay," Sam says as Kayla gives Dean a weird look.

"My point is, maybe that's the connection," Dean says, and Sam stops to face him. "The tooth fairy, the poprocks and coke, the joybuzzer that shocks you – they're all lies that kids believe."

"And now they're coming true," Kayla adds.

"Okay, so whatever's doing this is re-shaping reality. It has the powers of a god. Or... of a trickster." Sam says, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah. And the sense of humour of a nine-year-old," Dean adds.

"Or you," Sam says, and Dean makes a face and Kayla laughs.

Dean is sitting at the table, eating a ham sandwich, when Sam comes in. "Dude, seriously – still with the ham," Sam comments.

"Yep, he is," Kayla says from the bed, looking at something on her phone.

"We don't have a fridge," Dean replies, mouth full.

"Well, I found something," Sam says, walking over and putting a map down on the table. Kayla walks over to join them, tucking her phone into her pocket. "Uh, tooth fairy attack was here, poprocks and coke was here, and then you've got itching powder, face freeze, and joybuzzer, all located within a two-mile radius."

"So we've got a blast-zone of weird, and inside fantasy becomes reality," Dean says.

"Looks like," Sam says.

"And what's the A-bomb at its center?" Dean asks.

"Four acres of farmland, and a house," Sam replies.

"Our motel isn't in that circle by any chance," Dean says.

"Yeah. Why?" Sam asks. Dean holds up his hand, there's hair all over his palm.

"Oh – dude – that's not what I think it is, is it?" Sam says, looking away.

"I got bored," Dean says sheepishly, "And the nurse was hot." Kayla stares at him, going slightly pale.

"I think I'm gonna go throw up," she says.

"You know, you can go blind from that too," Sam says.

"Give me five minutes, we'll go check out that house," Dean says, walking past them.

"Hey – do not use my razor!" Sam warns. Dean smiles.

In their suits, the boys and Kayla head up to the house in the middle of the farmland. Dean has the demon-killing knife in his belt, and Sam starts to pick the lock, but the door swings open. A young boy, about nine years old, is standing inside. "Can I help you?"

"Hi! What's your name?" Kayla asks from behind Sam.

"Who wants to know?" the kid asks. The boys exchange glances, then pull out their badges. "The FBI," Dean says awkwardly.

"Let me see that," the boy says, taking Dean's badge and studying it. "So, what, you guys don't knock?"

Dean smiles a little. "Are your parents home?"

"They work," the kid says.

"Well, you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Sam asks. "Maybe take a look around the house?"

"I dunno," the boy replies.

"Come on, you can trust us," Dean says, holding up his badge. "We're the authorities."

The boys follow the boy inside, into the kitchen. "What's that?" Sam asks as the boy goes over to the stove and stirs a pot.

"It's called soup," the boy says, taking the pot to the table. "You heat it up and you eat it."

"Yeah, right, it's just... I used to make my own dinner too, when I was a kid," Sam replies.

"Well I'm not a kid," the boy says.

"Right. No, I know," Sam says after a second. "I'm Robert, by the way." He holds out his hand.

"Jesse," the boy says, shaking his hand.

"Kayla," Kayla says, waving.

"Jesse? Nice to meet you," Sam says. Dean walks over holding a piece of paper.

"Did you draw this?"

Jesse nods. "It's the tooth fairy." The drawing is of a hairy man with a pink tutu and wings.

"That's what you think the tooth fairy looks like, huh?" Dean says.

"Yeah – my dad told me about him," Jesse says. "What? Didn't your dad tell you about the tooth fairy?"

"My dad? My dad told me different stories," Dean says, smiling a little.

"Well, the tooth fairy isn't a story," Jesse says. The trio exchange glances.

"What do you know about itching powder, Jesse?" Kayla asks.

"That stuff will make you scratch your brains out," Jesse says.

"Poprocks and coke?" She goes on.

"You mix them, and you'll end up in the hospital," Jesse replies. "Everyone knows that."

Dean pulls out the joybuzzer. "You shouldn't have that," Jesse says, looking scared.

"Why not?" Dean asks.

"It can electrocute you," Jesse says seriously.

"Actually it can't," Dean says. "It's just a wind-up toy. It's totally harmless. It doesn't even have batteries."

"So it can't shock you?" Jesse asks.

"Nope. Not at all," Dean says. "I swear."

"Oh. Okay," Jesse says.

"I mean, all it does is just shake in your hand," Dean goes on. "It's kinda lame. See?" He puts it on Sam's shoulder, and Sam jumps, even though it's just shaking. Sam glares as Dean looks back at Jesse, who's smiling. Kayla snickers as Dean asks. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Dude, what the hell?" Sam asks angrily as the trio leave the house.

"I had a hunch and I went with it," Dean replies.

"You risked my ass on a hunch?" Sam says loudly. "Why not risk Kayla's?"

"Because Cas would kill me. You're fine, and besides, now we know who's turning this town into Willy Wonka's worst nightmare," Dean says calmly.

"The kid," Sam says.

"Yeah. Everything Jesse believes comes true," Dean says, turning to face him. "The kid thinks the tooth fairy looks like Belushi, joybuzzers really shock people. Boom, that's what happens."

"Yeah, but convince him that joybuzzers don't actually work, and they go from killing machines back into crap toys," Sam adds.

"He probably doesn't even know he's doing it," Dean says. They wave at Jesse, who is watching them from the top window.

"How is he doing it?" Kayla wonders.

Dean's sitting on his bed reading a book and Kayla is on her phone again when Sam comes in. "So. Dug up what I could on Jesse Turner – it's not much. B-student, won last year's Pinewood Derby, but get this. Jesse was adopted. His birth records are sealed."

"So you unsealed them and?" Dean asks.

"There's no father listed," Sam says. "But Jesse's biological mom is named Julia Wright. She lives in Elk Creek, on the other side of the state." Dean closes the book and tosses it aside.

The trio walk through a gate, which has a "No Trespassing" sign on it. They go up to the door – the house is old and painted white. They ring the doorbell. "Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested," a woman's voice says from inside.

"We're not salesmen. Agents Page and Plant and intern, FBI," Dean calls, and they take out their badges and hold them up to the peephole.

"Put your badge in the slot – your partner's, too," she says, and Dean pushes them in. A second later, they hear several locks being unlocked, and then the door opens.

"What do you want?" the woman asks, holding out their badges.

"Um, we just had a few questions," Sam begins. "About your son."

"I don't have a son," she says, slightly shakily.

"He was born March 29th, 1998 in Omaha," Kayla says softly. "You put him up for adoption?"

"What about him," she says after a second.

"We were just wondering, was it a... was it a normal pregnancy?" Sam asks carefully. She stares.

"Was anything strange," Dean says.

"Stay away from me!" she screams suddenly and tries to close the door, but the boys catch it.

"Mrs. Wright, wait!" Dean calls. They go into the house after her. "We just wanna talk!" She grabs a can of salt off the counter and throws some on them. They stare. "You're not demons?" she says.

"How do you know about demons?" Dean asks while Kayla moans about her hair in the background.

"I was possessed," she begins. The boys sit across from her with Kayla sitting on Dean's lap. "A demon took control of my body, and I hurt people. I killed people."

"That wasn't you," Sam says.

"But I was there," she says. "I heard a woman beg for mercy, I felt a young girl's blood drip down my hands..."

"That's how you knew about the salt," Dean says.

"Yeah. I picked up tricks, it was in my head for months," she replies.

"How many months?" Dean asks.

"Nine," she says.

"So your son..." Kayla begins.

"Yeah. The whole time," she says. "The pregnancy, the birth. All of it. I was possessed. The night the baby was born, I was alone. And the pain, the pain was overwhelming. I screamed, and it came out a laugh. The demon was happy. It used my body to give birth to a child. When it was over, something changed. Maybe the demon was tired, or... the pain helped me fight it, but somehow I took control of it. The demon wailed inside me, it pounded against my skull. I thought my head was going to explode. But I knew. I knew what I had to do. And when I was alone, with the baby, part of me... part of me wanted to kill it. But, God help me, I couldn't do that. So I put it up for adoption, and I ran."

"Who was the father?" Dean asks.

She shakes her head. "I was a virgin." The boys look at each other as Kayla stares at her. "Have you seen my son?" she asks. "Is he human?"

"His name is Jesse," Dean says. "He lives in Alliance. He's a good kid."

"So now what?" Sam wonders as they leave.

"We need help," Dean says. Kayla grins, knowing what that meant.

As the trio enter the motel, there's a flutter of wings. Castiel appears.

"Hey Cas," Kayla says, walking over and hugging him.

"I take it you got our message?" Sam says, sitting down.

"It's lucky you found the boy," Cas says, returning the hug.

"Oh yeah, real lucky," Dean replies. "What do we do with him?"

"Kill him," Cas says immediately. Kayla pulls away and looks at him, narrowing her eyes in anger.

"Cas," Dean begins.

"This child is half demon and half human. But he's far more powerful than either," Cas explains. "Other cultures call this hybrid Cambian or Katako. You know him as the antichrist." He sits down, and there is a loud farting sound. Dean and Kayla stares at him. "That wasn't me," Cas says. He pulls the whoopee cushion out.

"Who put that there?" Dean says innocently.

"Child," Kayla mutters, glaring at Dean.

"Anyway, I don't get it. Jesse is the devil's son?" Sam interrupts.

"No, of course not," Cas says. "Your Bible gets more wrong than it does right. The antichrist is not Lucifer's child. It's just demon-spawn. But it is one of the devil's greatest weapons in the war against Heaven."

"What is Jesse doing in Nebraska?" Kayla asks.

" The demons lost him and they can't find him. But they're looking." Cas replies.

"And they lost him because...?" Dean asks.

"Because of the child's power," Cas explains. "It hides him from both angels and demons. For now."

"So he's got like a – forcefield around him. Well that's great," Dean says. "Problem solved."

"With Lucifer raised, this child grows strong," Cas says. "Soon he will do more than make a few toys come to life. Something that will draw the demons to him. The demons will find this child. Lucifer will twist this boy to his purpose. And then with a word, this child – will destroy the host of Heaven."

"Wait, you're saying that Jesse's gonna nuke the angels?" Dean asks.

"We cannot allow that to happen," Cas says.

"Wait," Sam says, standing up. "We're the good guys, we don't just kill children."

Castiel stands up too. "A year ago, you would have done whatever it took to win this war."

"Things change," Sam snaps.

"What if it was me Cas. What if I was in this position?" Kayla asks.

"Thats not the point," Cas replies, not looking at her.

"Okay, look," Dean says, touching Sam and Kayla on the arm. "We are not going to kill him, alright? But we can't leave Jesse here, either. We know that. So, we take him to Bobby's. He'll know what to do."

"You'll kidnap him?" Cas says. "What is going on this town, it's what happens when this thing is happy. You cannot imagine what it will do if it's angry. Besides, how will you hold him? With a thought he could be halfway around the world."

"So we..." Dean begins.

"So we tell him the truth," Sam cuts in. "You say Jesse's destined to go darkside, fine. But he hasn't yet. So we lay it all out for him – what he is, the apocalypse, everything – he might make the right choice."

Cas leans close. "You didn't. And I can't take that chance." He disappears. Sam swears.

Dean kicks the door in, and Sam and Kayla rush in behind him. They find Jesse standing in the next room. "Was there a guy here? He had a trenchcoat?" Dean asks. Jesse points at the ground. There's a tiny action figure on the floor, and it looks exactly like Castiel. Kayla walks over to it and picks it up.

"Hey Cas," she whispers. She walks over to the mantel piece and puts him down.

"Was he your friend?" Jesse asks. He sitting on the couch, and Sam is sitting nearby.

"Him?" Dean says. "No." Kayla glares at him.

"I did that," Jesse says, looking at the doll. "But how did I do that?"

Dean shrugs. "You're a superhero."

"I am?" Jesse asks.

"Yeah! I mean, who else could turn someone into a toy?" Dean replies. "You're Superman. Minus the cape and the gogo boots." He glances at Sam and Kayla, then crouches down in front of Jesse. "See, my partner and I, we work for a secret government agency. It's our job to find kids with special powers. In fact, we're here to take you to a hidden base in South Dakota. Where you'll be trained to fight evil."

"Like the X-Men?" Jesse asks.

"Exactly like the X-Men!" Dean says. "In fact, the guy we're taking you to? He's even in a wheelchair. You'll be a hero. You'll save lives, you'll get the girl – sounds like fun, right?" Kayla shakes her head, not believing what she's hearing.

Suddenly, Dean is thrown against the wall. Julia walks in. "They're lying to you." Sam gets up, and she throws him into the wall next to Dean. Kayla stays where she is, still unnoticed. "Stay right there, dreamboat. Can't hurt you. Orders. You on the other hand?" she looks at Dean. "Hurting you's encouraged." She throws Dean against the wall a couple of times. She then turns to Kayla. "Hmmmm, I know what you are kiddo. Not sure if I can hurt you, so I'm just gonna keep you over there." She then throws her into the wall next to Sam, making sure that she hits her head. Kayla groans.

"Leave them alone!" Jesse yells. She smiles at him and comes closer.

"Jesse! You're beautiful. You have your father's eyes."

"Who are you?" he asks.

"I'm your mother," she says. He shakes his head.

"No you're not." She nods.

"Mmhmm. You're half human, half one of us."

"She means demons, Jesse," Dean says, and she holds up a fist and squeezes. Dean winces in pain.

"Leave him alone," Kayla screams.

"Those people?" she says, crouching down, "You call your parents? They lied to you too. You're not theirs. Not really."

"My mom and dad love me," Jesse says.

"Do they?" she asks. "Is that why they leave you alone all day? Because they love you so much? These people – these imposters – they told you that the tooth fairy was real, and that your toys could hurt you, and a hundred other things that aren't true. They love you so much, they made your whole life a lie. Look into your heart, Jesse. You've always known you weren't theirs. You've always known you were different. Everyone has lied to you. They're not FBI agents." She looks at Dean, Sam and Kayla. "And you're not a superhero."

"Then what am I?" Jesse asks.

"You're powerful," she replies. "You can have anything you want – you can do anything you want."

"Don't listen to her Jesse!" Kayla and Dean yell, and she squeezes Dean's throat again, but ignores Kayla.

"They treated you like a child. Nobody trusted you, everybody's lied to you. Doesn't that make you angry?"

Jesse's fist clenches, and the house begins to shake. A fire starts in the fireplace and the lights flicker. Julia smiles. "See? It does make you angry. But I'm telling you the truth, Jesse. Wouldn't it be better if there were no lies? Come with me, we can wash it all clean. Start over. Imagine that. A world without lies?" Jesse squeezes his fist again and a picture of him and his parents falls to the floor and breaks. A crack goes up the wall behind the trio.

"She's right. We lied to you," Sam begins.

"But I'll tell you the truth." She raises her fist again, cutting him off.

"Stop it," Jesse says, and she lowers her arm. Sam falls off the wall. "I wanna hear what he has to say."

"You're stronger than I thought," Julia says.

Sam slowly gets to his feet. "We lied to you. And I'm sorry. So here's the truth. I'm Sam Winchester, that's my brother, Dean and our friend Kayla West. We hunt monsters."

"Except when you are the monster," Julia cuts in. "Right Sammy?"

"Shut up Bitch," Kayla growls.

"And that woman right there, her name is Julia," Sam goes on. "She's your mother. But the thing inside of her – the thing you're talking to – it's a demon."

"A demon?" Jesse repeats.

"He's done nothing but lie to you since the moment you met him – don't listen to him!" she says loudly. "Punish him."

"Sit down and shut up," Jesse says. A chair moves up behind her and she falls into it, unable to speak or get out of the chair.

"There's kind of a – a war, between angels and demons, and you're a part of it," Sam goes on.

"I'm just a kid," Jesse says.

"You can go with her if you want," Sam says. "I can't stop you. No one can. But if you do, millions of people will die."

"She said I was half demon," Jesse interrupts. "Is that true?"

"Yes," Sam says. "But you're half human too. You can do the right thing. You've got choices, Jesse. But if you make the wrong ones, it'll haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jesse asks tearfully.

"Because I have to believe someone can make the right choice," Sam replies. "Even if I couldn't." Jesse clenches his fist again, and looks at Julia.

"Get out of her," he says, and the demon flows out of her mouth and up the chimney. Dean and Kayla fall to the floor. Kayla lays there, holding her head and quietly groaning.

"How did you do that?"

"I just did," Jesse says.

"Kid," Dean begins, panting, "You're awesome." He winces in pain.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Jesse asks as they look at his mom. She's unconscious.

"Eventually," Dean says. He crouches down and picks up the Castiel toy off the floor.

"Look – truth is, he's kind of a buddy of mine and he is Kayla's brother. Is there any way you could turn him back?"

"He tried to kill me," Jesse snaps.

"Right. But he's a good guy," Dean says. "He was just confused."

Jesse glares. "Okay," Dean says quickly. "It's been a long night. We'll talk about it later." He puts the toy back on the mantle.

"Please," Kayla sobs quietly, curling up into a ball on the floor. Dean walks over and picks her up, trying to comfort her.

"What now?" Jesse asks. Dean glances at Sam, who shrugs.

"Now we take you someplace safe," Dean says. "Get you trained up. You'd be handy in a fight, kid."

"What if I don't wanna fight?" Jesse asks.

"Jesse," Sam says, sitting down in front of him. "You're powerful. More powerful than anything we've pretty much ever seen. That makes you..."

"A freak?" Jesse finishes.

Sam is silent for a second. "To some people maybe. But not to us. See, we're kind of freaks ourselves."

"I can't stay here, can I?" Jesse asks.

"No," Dean says, still holding Kayla. "The demons know where you are, more'll be coming."

"I won't go without my mom and dad," Jesse replies.

"There's nothing more important than family," Sam says. "We get that. And if you really wanna take them with you, we'll back your play. But you gotta understand – it's gonna be dangerous for them too."

"What do you mean?" Jesse asks.

"Our dad? He would take us with him wherever he went," Dean says.

"Where is he now?" Jesse asks.

"Dead," Sam replies. "A demon killed him."

"Look, Jessie," Dean begins. "Once you're in this fight, you're in it till the end. Win or lose."

"What should I do?" Jesse asks.

"We can't tell you. It's your choice," Sam answers.

"It's not fair, I know."

"Can I go see my parents?" Jesse asks. "I need to... say good bye."

"Sure," Dean says.

Downstairs, Sam is looking at the Castiel doll and Kayla is still crying. "He's been up there a long time," Dean comments. They look at each other and head upstairs, Dean still carrying Kayla.

When they get to Jesse's room it's empty.

"He's gone." They turn to see Castiel walk up behind them.

"Cas!" Kayla shrieks. Dean puts her down and she throws herself at Castiel. He catches her and lifts her up into a hug.

"Where?" Sam asks.

"I dunno," Cas replies. "Jesse put everyone in the town back to normal. Everyone's still alive. Then he vanished."

Sam looks back at the empty bed. "Hey." There's a note on top. He picks it up and reads it.

"What's it say?" Dean asks.

"That he had to leave to keep his parents safe," Sam says. "That he loves them, and that he's sorry."

"How do we find him?" Dean asks.

"With the boy's powers, we can't," Cas replies. "Not unless he wants to be found."

Kayla finally pulls away from Cas, "Are you alright?" she asks.

He nods, "I am fine." He looks at her closely. "Are you?"

She shakes her head, "I've hit my head pretty hard and I was really worried about you."

He nods and picks her up and carries her out of the house. Sam and Dean follow. They climb into the impala as Cas gently lays Kayla on the back seat. "You get some rest, I will see you again soon."

Kayla nods and curls up into a ball. Cas nods goodbye to Sam and Dean before disappearing. Sam shuts the door and Dean drives off to the motel. The boys pack up everything and then head out. Kayla is asleep in the backseat.

"Should we wake her up and check for concussion?" Sam asks Dean quietly.

"We'll do it soon and check every half an hour," Dean says, looking at Kayla in the wing mirror. He says, "Hey, put your coat over her. Make sure that she is warm enough." Sam nods and leans over the front bench. He lays his coat over Kayla and sits back down.

"You think Jesse's gonna be okay?" Dean asks.

"I hope so," Sam replies.

"You know we destroyed that kid's life by telling him the truth," Dean says.

"We didn't have a choice, Dean," Sam says.

"Yeah. You know, I'm starting to get why parents lie to their kids?" Dean says. "You know, you want them to believe that the worst thing out there is mixing poprocks and coke. Protect them from the real evil. You want them going to bed feeling safe. If that means lying to them, so be it. The more I think about it... the more I wish Dad had lied to us."

"Yeah me too," Sam agrees.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Rewritten-

The boys and Kayla hold up their CDC badges. "You expect me to believe you're CDC?" the doctor in front of them asks. The boys exchange glances over Kayla's head.

"Excuse me?" Sam says.

"It's just that you're a day early," she says. "First time in history I haven't sat on my ass waiting for you people."

"New administration," Dean smiles. "A change you can believe in."

She smiles. "Right."

She pulls out the metal slab from the wall. There's an old man laying on it. "Meet Xavier," she says, looking at her clipboard. "Date of birth April 3rd, 1984." The boy and Kayla stare.

"I know," she says. "I ran the DNA twice. That's definitely him."

Dean raises his eyebrows. "He wasn't big on the sunscreen, huh."

Sam shoots him a look, as Kayla rolls her eyes. "So what's your theory?"

"All I know is that he's male, twenty-five years old, and he died of old age," she replies, then walks away.

As the trio leave, Dean is talking on his cellphone. "You were right about this one – it's definitely a job." Bobby's sitting in his house in his wheelchair.

"Thought so," he replies. "Any other stiffs in town?"

"Nah, just the one body," Dean says as the boys head down the hall.

"Anything else?" Bobby asks.

"Couple of missing persons, but that's usual for a town this size," Dean replies.

"Well check 'em out," Bobby says.

"You think they're connected?" Dean asks.

Bobby shrugs. "Call it a hunch."

"You got it," Dean says. "By the way, how're you doing?"

"Doing?" Bobby repeats.

"Yeah, you know. Just – in general," Dean replies.

"Oh, you mean my legs," Bobby says irritably. "Well I'm just weepin' in my Haagen Dazs. Idjit." He hangs up. Dean closes his phone, looking at Sam and Kayla.

The boy and Kayla are sitting across from an older woman. Dean's holding a picture of a man. "That's the most recent," she says. Sam takes the photo and looks at it. It's a picture of an older man, playing golf.

"How long has he been missing?" Kayla asks gently.

"Oh I knew right away when he didn't come home Tuesday night," she says.

"Is there some place he likes to go, after work maybe?" Dean asks as Sam notices a USMC tattoo on the man's arm. "A favourite bar?"

"No," she says. "Tuesdays he always works a bit late, but he always comes straight home."

Dean nods. "May I use your facilities, ma'am?"

He heads out into the hall, going into the husband's office. He quickly goes through a pile of paper, then reaches in the pocket of a jacket hanging on the back of the chair. It's a receipt, reading 'Madame Liu's Golden Palace'. "Working late my ass," Dean mutters.

"Well at least he's consistent," Sam says as the boys head down the hall at Madame Liu's. "Same room every Tuesday, hourly rates."

"I hope I got that kinda kick when I'm his age," Dean comments.

"Yeah, like either of us will live that long,"Sam replies.

"True," Dean agrees.

"Hey, what about me?" Kayla asks.

Sam looks down at her, "The chances are that you'd have became an angel by then." Kayla pouts and looks away, ignoring him.

"So? What do you think's in there?" Sam asks, ignoring Kayla in return.

Dean shrugs, rolling his eyes at the pair. "A wrinkly, gooey corpse." Outside Room 44, Sam takes out his lockpick set. Before he can take out the right one, there's yelling from inside the room. Sam shoves open the door with his shoulder, and the boys and Kayla stop.

"Hey – what the...?" A young man is laying in the bed with a girl, and second later another girl comes out from under the covers. "Oh, God," Dean says, covering Kayla's eyes with his hand.

"It's gooey," Sam says. The girls get up and start to leave.

"Sorry – got the wrong room," Dean says.

"Would you close the door?" the man says irritably. Sam starts to leave, then stops.

"Hey..." He looks back. Sure enough, there's a USMC tattoo on the man's lower arm. "Nice tattoo." He goes back into the room. "Happen to know anybody called Cliff Witlow?"

The man swallows. "Never heard of him."

"Well that's weird," Sam replies, going to the dresser. "Cause you're carrying his wallet." Dean goes over to the bed and lifts up the sheet, making sure Kayla isn't watching.

"Huh. Your wife told us about your birthmark there, that's nice. Well you look great, Cliff. Did you get some work done?" Cliff sighs.

"Could you give us some privacy?" he says to the two girls, who are standing nearby. Dean winks at them, then looks back at Cliff seriously.

Cliff, now wrapped in a robe, gives the girls some money, then closes the door. He turns around. "Please don't tell my wife. I'm begging you – as far as she knows, I'm dead. For the love of God, let's keep it that way."

"How can you possibly be Cliff Witlow?" Kayla asks, keeping her eyes on his face.

"I can't tell you," he says after a second.

"Well either you tell us, or we tell the missus," Dean replies.

"Okay, okay! It was a game," Cliff says.

"Like... X-Box?" Sam asks.

Cliff stares at him. "What's X-Box? No, poker. High stakes, steady cash... you play for years."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dean says, looking confused.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy. Guy comes up to me at a bar, invites me to play. Gives me twenty-five of these weirdo poker chips, right? Chants some mumbo-humbo over them – says now, they're twenty-five years. I'm laughing, but then I come out up. And look at me!"

"What was he chanting?" Sam asks.

"How should I know? All I know is that my bad hip's good, I threw away my glasses – one of those ladies was here for free! Man, it's some kind of miracle worker."

"What does this miracle worker look like?" Kayla asks.

"Just a guy," Cliff says. "Maybe thirty-five, brown hair, Irish accent – his name's Patrick."

"Alright alright, where's this game at?" Dean asks.

"He said he likes to keep moving – never stays in one bar long," Cliff replies. "He finds you."

Dean looks at Sam. "Thank you, Cliff." They head for the door. "Oh and uh – stay classy," Dean says before he leaves.

Outside, Dean's on his cellphone again as they walk. "It sounds crazy, right?"

"No, there's lore on it," Bobby replies. "Goes back centuries. Traveling card player pops into town – you beat him, you get your best years back. 'Course, most folks lose."

"Well that would explain the crunchy corpse," Dean says.

"Supposedly this player's a hell of a card chart," Bobby says. "Gotta lot of years in the bank. You find the bar he's working in yet?"

"There's a lot of dives in this town, I mean we're gonna have to split up," Dean says.

"Well why you still talking to me?" Bobby asks, and hangs up. He thinks for a second, then goes over and picks up his keys.

"Find anything?" Sam asks Dean over the phone. Dean's in a bar, Kayla's sitting next to him.

"Yeah, a whole bunch of squat. You?" Dean replies.

"Nah, not a thing," Sam says

. "Yeah, well you come up dry, circle back to the motel in two," Dean says. "Your turn to grab dinner."

"Usual?" Sam asks.

"Extra bacon," Dean replies, sitting down at the bar and hanging up.

"Can I get a beer?" Kayla looks at him, "No!" He says immediately. She sighs and puts her head in her hands.

"Yup." The bartender comes over.

"You wouldn't happen to know of a poker game going on in back, would you?" Dean asks.

"It's a bar. Not a casino," the bartender replies, opening the beer and handing it to Dean. Dean looks at him.

"My friend Ben told me you'd know."

"Don't know any Ben," the bartender says.

"Sure you do. Balding? Smart ass? Real eighties man?" Dean says. The bartender leans closer.

"Listen pal. I told you. I don't know any Ben, I don't know nothing about a game."

"You sure? Cause he sure seems to know you," Dean says, sliding a hundred dollar bill across the bar. The bartender takes the money.

"'Round back. Take the elevator down."

Outside, Dean heads for the elevator, Kayla following him. Just as he's about to go in, it opens, and Bobby comes out. "Bobby? What the hell're you doing here?" Dean asks, surprised.

"Planting daisies. What's it look like?" Bobby snaps. "Came in on the case."

"And you beat me here," Dean says.

"Well, brains tromps legs, apparently," Bobby replies, wheeling past him.

"So you found the game?" Dean asks, following.

"Yup," Bobby says.

"Did you stop it?" Kayla asks. Bobby's silent.

"Bobby?" Dean asks. Bobby stops, then turns to face them.

"Not exactly."

"What did you do?" Dean asks.

"I played, okay?" Bobby replies.

Dean stares. "And?"

"I lost," Bobby says.

"Are you kidding me?" Dean says loudly. "You played some he-witch?"

"Don't you take that tone with me," Bobby snaps.

"You idiot!" Dean says.

"Dean!" Kayla rebukes, slapping him.

"They're my years, I can do what I want!" Bobby yells.

"How many did you lose?" Dean asks.

"Twenty-five," Bobby says after a second. Even as Dean and Kayla watch, the lines in Bobby's face deepen.

"We're not done," Dean says, and heads back toward the elevator.

"So you're saying that you're a mindreader." A middle-aged man and a young blond woman are sitting at a table across from a brown-haired man.

"Aw, come on. No such thing," the man says. He has an Irish accent.

"But. I can read people. Take your lovely companion here. I'd say, judging from her exquisite posture, she used to be a dancer." The woman smiles. "Not much of a drinker," the man goes on, leaning close, "Very independent. Looking for adventure."

Dean walks up behind and grabs the man's arm. "Hey man. Excuse me. Can I borrow you for a sec?" The man glares at him for a second, but Dean pulls back his jacket so the hilt of his pistol can be seen, and the man smiles.

"Oh yeah! Of course. Great. Good to see ya." He smiles at the couple. "Would you two please excuse me?"

"Sorry to cut you short with Mr. And Mrs. Easy Marks over here," Dean says, sitting across from Patrick at a table with Kayla sitting next to him.

"Oh no big. Wasn't a total loss." Patrick holds up a gold watch. "And beside, I get to meet a gorgeous young lady." He smiles at Kayla, who blushes and ducks her head. Dean points his gun at Patrick under the table. "Look. I don't know what it is you think I did to your wife. Or girlfriend... mother or sister. But I just want you to know, my feelings were real," Patrick says.

"That ain't my problem, man-witch," Dean cuts in. "You owe my friend some years."

"Oh that's what this is," Patrick says. "I'm sorry. He lost. Them's the breaks."

"Well then un-lose him," Dean says, cocking the gun. Patrick looks at him.

"Oh, go ahead and shoot me if it makes you feel better. Besides. I could use a good – you know – tickle." Dean glares. "You want years? Great. Play me for them," Patrick says.

"Fine," Dean says.

"Dean, no!" Bobby says – he's sitting nearby.

"They're my years, I can do what I want," Dean reminds him.

"Dean," Kayla whines. "Please don't."

Bobby coughs violently – he's greyer than ever. "Lozenge?" Patrick asks. Bobby glares at him. "What? It's barely linty. Well, suit yourself. Just trying to help."

"Alright alright, come on, let's do this," Dean interrupts, glaring.

"You understand the terms," Patrick says. Dean nods.

Patrick takes out his box of poker chips and takes out twenty-five, putting them in front of Dean. "Make it fifty," Dean says. Patrick smiles, chewing on a toothpick.

"I like the cut of your jib." He takes out twenty-five more chips and puts them on the table. He holds out his hand and chants, and the chips shine for a moment. Kayla gasps. Patrick puts the toothpick back in his mouth and looks at Dean. Dean pulls the chips toward him, then spreads them out, counting them. "Twenty five. That's twenty five years. They go to him. He's cashing out." He pushes them forward.

"Dean," Bobby warns.

"Bobby," Dean says.

"Dean," Kayla whines.

"Kayla," Dean says.

"Bobby," she turns to him. He just shakes his head, unable to stop him.

"You sure?" Patrick asks.

"Yes," Dean replies. Patrick holds out his hand and chants over the chips again. The chips suddenly catch fire, and as the ashes blow towards Bobby, Dean looks up and sees that Bobby is back to his usual age. Patrick looks at him.

"That's twenty-five years you just pissed away. Better be sure you can win 'em back."

"Shuffle up and deal," Dean replies.

Patrick smiles, pulling the box of chips toward him. "This is gonna be fun."

Sam opens the door to their room and walks in, holding their food. "Hey Dean? You find anything?" Smiling at Kayla, who is sitting at the table.

"Uh, you might say," a deep, different voice replies from the bathroom. Sam grabs his gun, aiming it at the older, grey-haired man who walks out.

"Who the hell are you?" he yells, walking forward.

"Dude – relax. It's me," the old man says. Sam lowers the gun.

"Dean?"

"It's him," Kayla sighs, not bothering looking at the brothers.

"Hi," Dean says.

"What the hell happened?" Sam asks, staring.

"I – you know – found the game," Dean says, walking past to the table.

"I thought you said you were good at poker!" Sam says, Kayla snickers.

"I am, shut up!" Dean says, picking up his burger. "So you were just gonna shoot some old guy, is that it?"

"I didn't know what you were – I mean, have you seen you?" Sam asks. "You look like..."

"The old chick in Titanic, I know, shut up," Dean says, chewing. Kayla giggles at his movie reference.

"I was gonna say Emperor Palpatine," Sam says, with this said, Kayla bursts out laughing.

The door opens and Bobby comes in. "Oh, I see you met John McCaine there," he says to Sam.

"Yeah. Any of you wanna tell me what happened?" Sam says.

"Bobby's an idiot, that's what happened," Dean says.

"Hey, nobody asked you to play," Bobby snaps.

"Here it goes again," Kayla mutters, walking over to stand next to Sam.

"Right, I shoulda just let you die," Dean says.

"And for damn sure nobody asked you to lose," Bobby goes on.

"It's like Grumpy Old Men," Sam grins.

"Shut up Sam!" Dean and Bobby say in unison. Kayla laughs at the expression on Sam's face.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dean asks. "He's a witch! He's been playing poker since guys wore tights."

"You just don't get it," Bobby says.

"Yeah I get it, Bobby. You saw a chance to turn the hands of the clock back and get out of that damn chair. Pretty tempting! I can imagine."

"No you can't," Bobby snaps, Kayla closes her eyes.

"You got me," Dean says after a second. "I've never been paralyzed. But I'll tell you something – I've been to Hell, and there's an archangel there wanted me to drop the soap. Look at me, my junk's rustier than yours! You hear me belly-aching, huh?"

"Actually yeah," Sam puts in.

Dean starts to say something, then stops as his stomach makes a loud noise. He sits down heavily. "I'm having a heart attack!"

"No you're not," Bobby says.

"Drama queen," Kayla calls.

"What is it?" Dean asks.

"Acid reflux," Bobby replies. "Guys your age can't digest certain foods. You're gonna need to put down that cheeseburger."

Dean sighs, but he puts it down. "So. You wanna keep emoting? Or you wanna talk about solving this little issue of yours?" Bobby asks.

"It's gotta be about the chips." Dean leans forward. "I slid them across. Patrick did his little witchy number. And you prettied up in a hurry."

"What are y'all thinking? Some kind of magic chips or something?" Sam asks, sitting down too. Kayla remains standing behind Sam.

"Definitely," Bobby says.

"You remember what he chanted?" Sam asks.

"Yep. Every word," Bobby replies.

"Alright, then let's find out where he stashes his chips," Sam says.

"And steal me fifty. Benjamin Button's me back into burger shape," Dean says. "What do you think?"

"I think you oughta put some clothes on," Bobby says, nodding at Dean's robe.

There's a knock at the door just as Dean finishes dressing, and he walks over to the door to answer it. A young woman is standing outside, holding some towels. "Ready for housekeeping sir?"

Dean smiles and leans on the door frame. "Born ready."

She smiles at him. "You're just like my grandfather. He hits on anything that moves too." She walks past him into the room. "You're adorable."

"And dangerous," Dean adds.

"Aw!" She laughs. Sam and Bobby shrug at him, smiling. Kayla's laughing into Sam's shoulder.

"Can we just go?" Dean says, refusing to look at Kayla.

The boys, Bobby and Kayla are sitting in the Impala, watching as Patrick leaves the bar. He starts to cross the street, but is suddenly hit by a car. The man in the car jumps out to see if he's okay, then hurries to some truck drivers for help. A second later, Patrick drives by, beeping the horn, perfectly fine. Dean laughs. "I gotta say – I kinda like the guy."

"So do I," Kayla grins.

Dean rolls his eyes, "I'll tell Cas."

"You wouldn't dare," Kayla gasps, her eyes wide. Dean just smirks.

The four of them watch as Patrick leaves his apartment, in a tall glass building, and gets in his car. They head inside, Sam pushing Bobby's wheelchair, then stop. "Well I'm out," Bobby says. There's an "Elevator Out of Order" sign on the door.

"Bad luck Bobby," Kayla pats his shoulder as she walks towards the staircase.

Sam and Kayla hurry up the stairs as Dean follows slower, and by the time Sam and Kayla reach the top Dean's panting. "Dean," Sam says, and points at the sign on the wall. It's only the second floor.

They reach the right floor, and go to Patrick's room. Dean's panting. Sam takes out the lockpick set but before he can do anything Kayla stops him, "May I?"Kayla picks the lock and they go in. Dean goes to a fancy cabinet and opens it – he finds a secret compartment at the back, and there's a safe inside it.

"Guys?" he calls. They walk over.

"Dime store model," Dean says, leaning in close to open the lock. "Piece of cake." But even as he turns it, his vision is going blurry.

"It's like Mission: Pathetic. Watch out," Sam says, pushing Dean aside. He opens it in a second. Inside are the chips.

"I coulda done that," Dean snaps. Sam gives him a look and starts taking out the chips.

"What're you doing?" a woman's voice asks, and they turn. A young blond woman is standing in the doorway.

"Aren't you the girl from the bar?" Kayla asks.

"I'm a lot more than that," she says, and raises her hand. The trio cringe in pain. A second later, Patrick runs in.

"It's alright, sweetheart. It's alright. They're harmless." He lowers her arm,then walks over to them. "You kids want chips? Take 'em. They're just chips, Einsteins. It's the showmanship. This may come as a shock, but the magic does not lie in a pile of crappy plywood. Or in any phony abracadabra. It's in the nine-hundred-year-old witch. You kids want years? Score 'em the old fashioned way." He puts a toothpick in his mouth. "Texas Hold 'Em."

"Nine hundred, oh no fair," Kayla moans.

"Fine. Let's do it," Dean says, ignoring her mutterings about him being too old.

Patrick pulls a card out of his pocket. "What card am I holding up?" Dean squints at it, but he can't see. "That's what I thought," Patrick says. "If your eyesight's that bad, what about your memory? I'm not a murderer." He looks at Sam. "You, on the other hand."

"No Sam," Dean says.

"Dean," Sam says.

"What, Sam not much of a player?" Patrick asks. "Okay, well. Happy trails, Dean. Enjoy the twilight of your life. Shoulda taken better care of that ticker though." He walks to the door and opens it. "You're free to go." They walk out. "Oh but Sam," Patrick says, and he turns back. "Your brother's situation, well that's punishment enough. But I can't let you leave without a small parting gift." He claps three times.

"What're you doing?" Sam asks.

"You'll find out soon enough," Patrick says, winking. "But you, beautiful, I'm going to leave you alone." Kayla smiles and skips out of the room, following the brothers.

As they leave the building, Sam's walking awkwardly. He glances at Dean. "Dude. I believe that he-witch gave you the clap," Dean says. He and Kayla laugh.

The trio and Bobby are walking. Bobby asks for help being pushed up a steep hill, and Sam goes back to help him. "You know, I still think I should play."

"No. You're not good enough," Dean says. "I'm better, Bobby's way better, we both lost."

"Exactly," Bobby agrees.

"So what, so I don't get a say in this anymore?" Sam says.

"Sammy, when you get to be our age..." Dean begins.

"You're thirty, Dean!" Kayla says loudly.

"Look, I've watched you hustle plenty of poker!" Sam says.

"Knowing the game is not enough, Sam. It's not about playing the cards," Bobby begins.

"It's about playing the other guy. I know that," Sam replies.

"Well hooray for you. All I'm saying is that I've played this guy. I know his style. I can take him," Bobby says.

"No Bobby. You don't have enough years in the bank," Dean says.

"I got enough," Bobby says.

"No, you'll die if you lose Bobby," Sam replies.

"So what if I do, huh? What exactly am I living for, huh?" Bobby yells. "The damn apocalypse? Watching men die bloody while I sit in this chair, can't take a step to help 'em?"

"Bobby, come on," Dean begins.

"No, no. It's the facts," Bobby snaps. "I'm old, and I'm broke-down, and I can't..." He pauses, breathing heavily. "I ain't a hunter no more. I'm useless. And if I wasn't such a coward, I'd have stuck a gun in my mouth the day I got home from the hospital."

"Bobby, no," Kayla breathes. Dean looks away.

"Bobby, you're not playing again," Sam says finally. "I'm not letting you do that. There's another way out of this, there's gotta be. And I'm gonna find it." Bobby's silent. Sam and Kayla walk away.

Patrick is sitting across the table from an old man. The old man is looking at his cards nervously and playing with the chips. Patrick's holding two kings. The old man is holding two nines. The old man throws his chips in. "Bet."

"I sense you've got me by the jewels on this one, Ash," Patrick says. "I fold." He puts down the cards. Ash pulls the chips toward him. "What, you're up thirteen years there Ash? What do you say we call it a day?"

Ash smiles. "Thanks, Patrick."

"Ash here is gonna live to see his granddaughter's bat mitzvah, isn't that right Ash?" Patrick says. Sam and Kayla are standing behind Ash. "Thanks again, Patrick," Ash says.

"Shalom my friend, shalom," Patrick says. Ash leaves.

"That was nice of you," Kayla says.

Patrick shrugs. "I'm a nice guy. What can I do you for?"

Sam sits. "Deal."

Patrick smiles. "I like you, Sam. I do. You're smart, and your heart's clearly in the right place. I can tell a lot about a guy by looking." He puts down his toothpick and picks up his drink.

"You mean you're psychic?" Sam says, sharing a look with Kayla.

"No. That'd be cheating," Patrick replies. "I'm talking about good, old-fashioned intuition."

"Right. Let's just play," Sam says.

"We are playing," Patrick says. Sam and Kayla eye his glass as he puts it down. "Does your big brother know you're here?" Patrick asks.

Sam picks up some chips. "Bet five." He tosses them in.

"Didn't think so," Patrick smiles. "I raise." He puts some more chips in. "Here you are, right? Trying to clean up their mess. And they still wanna sit you at the kiddie table with Kayla. You're not the little brother anymore, Sam." Sam doesn't answer. Patrick plays with the chips. "Then again, maybe you are. You're in over your head here, Sam. I mean, you can keep making these moves. You know – playing it cautious. Playing in percentages. But I'm still gonna kick your ass into the nursing home."

"Does this armchair psychology usually work for you?" Sam asks.

Patrick laughs. "You tell me. You're the one who's losing." He puts the toothpick back in his mouth.

Patrick shuffles the cards as Sam watches. Patrick's girlfriend walks in, and he smiles at her and puts down the toothpick. She kisses him as Sam eyes the toothpick again. "Little break?" Patrick asks, winking at Sam.

"Break?" Kayla questions, looking at Sam.

Sam opens the door and goes outside, where Dean's waiting. "How's it going in there?"

Sam huffs. "How do you think it's going? What about you, you have everything you need?"

"We still need a little he-witch DNA," Dean replies.

Sam holds up a toothpick. "He was chewing it. Hurry up Dean. Please."

"Alright. Just keep him busy and keep Kayla away from him. And Sammy? Don't lose." Sam goes back inside. Dean goes back to the alley, where Bobby is sitting in the back of his van. He chants over a fire, and then Dean throws in some of the ingredients. Bobby chants some more, then tells him to put in the toothpick. Dean does it.

"Well? How do I look?" Bobby sighs. Nothing's changed.

Inside, Patrick looks at Sam and Kayla. "Question." He pulls a toothpick out his jacket. "Is this what you meant to give your big brother?" Sam doesn't say anything as Kayla looks at him in surprise. "The one you gave him, never passed my lips. Won't do a scrap of good." He tosses the toothpick at Sam. "I don't like cheating, Sam." He holds out his hand and Sam stiffens in pain and grabs his throat.

"Sam!" Kayla screams, jumping up and running over to him.

"Stop it! Patrick! Let him go!" His girlfriend grabs his arm.

"He tried to kill us!" Patrick says.

"I did it! I gave him the spell," she says, and Patrick stops and stares at her.

"What?" He stands up and takes her face in his hands. "Why – why would you do that?"

"You know why," she says, fingering her locket. "You know." Patrick thinks for a second, then sits down again.

"Keep playing," he hisses.

Sam puts down some chips.

"Well look at you! The percentage player betting the farm," Patrick says. "Awful transparent of you, Sam. I mean, if I had a monster hand like you have – I'd trap you. But you get yourself so excited, you bet yourself right out of a big pot." He puts down his cards. "I fold. Set of ladies, I'm guessing." Sam pulls back his chips and puts down two fives. "Nice bluff," Patrick says. "If we had time, I could make a real player out of you."

"I got time," Sam says.

Patrick smiles. "Maybe. But I can't say the same for Dean. Your brother's gonna be dead soon. And when I say soon, I mean minutes." Sam starts to get up, but Patrick forces him back down. "The game's not over till I say it is. Blinds." Kayla looks between Sam and the door. She starts to move towards it, before being pulled back. "You, are staying right here," Patrick says, staring at her.

Patrick throws out two cards, and Sam does the same, quickly. "So. When it's about your brother, you get so emotional your brain just flies right out the window," Patrick says. "Good to know."

"Go to Hell," Sam snaps.

"I'm all in," Sam says, pushing his chips over.

Patrick sighs. "Don't do that, Sam."

"I can't leave until it's over, fine. It's over," Sam says, breathing hard.

"Sam, no," Kayla whispers.

"Now where is my brother?"

"Look – there's poker, and then there's suicide," Patrick says.

"Just play the hand," Sam says. He's sweating.

Patrick puts all his chips in the middle. "Fine." He puts down two aces. "I'm sorry. Aces full." Sam stares, breathing hard. Kayla hugs him as Patrick's girlfriend starts to cry. Sam looks at her. "You're crying. For a witch, you're so nice it's actually kind of creepy." He nods. "It's okay. It was a great hand. Just..." Patrick freezes. "...not as great as four fours," Sam says, turning over his cards.

Patrick smiles. "Well played. You know, that whole going out of your head bit... very method. Well there's more to you than meets the eye." He raises his drink.

"Cash these in for Dean, please," Sam says, hugging Kayla.

"With pleasure," Patrick replies.

"No tricks – you actually beat the guy," Bobby asks. Sam shrugs. "How the hell...?" Bobby begins.

"Just lucky," Sam smiles. Dean comes in, eating a cheeseburger. "Alright, I'll see y'all guys later," Sam says, getting his jacket.

"Where you going?" Dean asks.

"Uh, um, nowhere," Sam replies. Dean looks at him. "Booster shot," Sam says finally. "Don't say it." He leaves and Kayla follows him, teasing him.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Rewritten

Two Days Earlier

In a busy hospital, a nurse and a doctor go into an elevator together. The doctor slowly looks at the nurse, then begins to kiss her passionately. It's actually a TV show that Dean's watching.

"What are you watching?" Kayla asks, buttoning up Sam's shirt cuffs.

"A hospital show," Dean replies. "Dr. Sexy M.D. It's based on a book."

Kayla laughs as Sam smirks. "When did you hit menopause?"

"It's called channel surfing," Dean retorts., standing up and turning of the TV. "You ready?"

"Are you?" Sam says.

"Uh, one more time? The FBI is here why exactly?" The trio are talking to the local sheriff.

"It might have something to do with one of your locals getting his head ripped off," Dean replies.

"Bill Randolph died from a bear attack," the sheriff says.

"How sure are you that it was a bear?" Sam asks.

"What else would it be?" the sheriff says.

"Well whatever it was, it chased Mr. Randolph through the woods, smashed through his front door, followed him up the stairs, and killed him – in his bedroom. Is that common? A bear doing all that?" Kayla asks.

"It depends on how pissed off it is, I guess," the sheriff replies. "Look – the Randolph's way up in High Country. You got trout runs that'll make a grown man weep. And bears."

"Right – what about Mrs. Randolph?" Sam cuts in. "The file says she saw the whole thing."

"Yes, she did," the sheriff nods. "My heart goes out to that poor woman."

"She said bear?" Dean asks.

The sheriff hesitates. "Kathy Randolph went through a hell of a trauma. She's confused." Dean nods knowingly.

"What did she say?" Sam asks.

"No, it must have been a bear," Kathy says. The boys and Kayla are talking to her in the Interview Room. "I mean, what else could it have been?"

Sam leans closer. "Mrs. Randolph. What do you think it was?"

She shakes her head. "No, I remember clearly now. It was definitely a bear."

"We're sure it was," Kayla says softly, sitting next to her. "But see, it helps us to hear every angle. So just tell us what you thought you saw."

"Um, well..." She sighs. "It's impossible, but... I could have sworn I saw... the Incredible Hulk." The trio stare.

"The Incredible Hulk?" Sam repeats.

"I told you, it's crazy," Kathy says.

"Bana or Norton?" Dean asks.

"Oh no, those movies were terrible. The TV Hulk," she replies.

"Lou Ferrigno," Dean says. "The spiky-haired Lou Ferrigno."

"Who the hell are they talking about?" Kayla whispers to Sam.

He shakes his head, "I'll tell you later."

"Yes," she nods.

"Ah." Dean, Sam and Kayla look at each other.

"You think I'm crazy," she says.

"No, no. It's just... is there... would there be any reason why Lou Ferrigno – the Incredible Hulk – would have a grudge against your husband?" Dean asks.

"No," she says, giving them a weird look.

Dean is looking at the newspaper article online about the 'bear' attack when Sam and Kayla walk in. "Find anything?" Dean asks.

"Well, we saw the house," Sam says. "And there is a giant, eight-foot-wide hole where the door used to be – almost like a..."

"A Hulk-sized hole," Dean finishes.

"Maybe," Kayla says. "What you got?"

"Well it turns out that Bill Randolph had quite the temper. He's got two accounts of spousal battery, bar brawls, and court-ordered anger management sessions," Dean reads. "You might say, you wouldn't like him when he's angry."

"So, a hot-head, getting killed by TV's greatest hot-head," Sam says. "Kinda sounds like just desserts, doesn't it. It's all starting to make sense."

Dean looks at him. "How is it starting to make sense?"

"Well, we found something else at the crime scene," Sam replies, pulling something out of his pocket. "Candy wrappers." He drops them on the table. "Lots of them."

"Just desserts," Dean begins, picking up one of the wrappers. "Sweet tooth. Screwing with people before you kill them – we're dealing with a trickster, aren't we?" He stands up to face Sam.

"Sure looks like," Sam replies.

"What's a trickster?" Kayla asks, looking completely lost.

"A very powerful creature. A demi-god. They can create anything from thin air. They have a wicked sense," Sam tells her.

"Good," Dean says. "I've wanted to gank that mother since the Mystery Spot."

Sam glances at him. "You sure?"

Dean stares. "Yeah I'm sure."

"No, I mean are you sure you wanna kill him?" Sam goes on.

"Son of a bitch didn't think twice about icing me. A thousand times," Dean reminds him.

"What the hell did I miss?" Kayla asks.

"No I know, I mean –I'm just saying..." Sam begins.

"What are you saying?" Dean asks. "If you don't wanna kill him, then what?"

"Talk to him?" Sam suggests. "Look, think about it, Dean. He's one of the most powerful creatures we've ever met. Maybe we can use him."

"For what?" Dean asks.

"Okay – Trickster's like a Hugh Hefner type, right? Wine, women, song – maybe he doesn't want the party to end! Maybe he hates this angels and demons stuff as much as we do. Maybe he'll help us."

"You're serious?" Dean says. "Ally with the trickster."

"Yeah," Sam says.

"A bloody, violent monster, and you wanna be Facebook friends with him?" Dean goes on. "Nice, Sammy."

"The world is gonna end, Dean. We don't have the luxury of a moral stand," Sam reminds him. "Look, I'm just saying, it's worth a shot. That's all. If it doesn't work, we'll kill him."

Dean sighs. "How're we gonna find the guy, anyway?"

"Well he never takes just one victim, right? He'll show," Sam replies.

Dean is sitting on his bed, sharpening a wooden stake and showing Kayla how to do it as well. Sam sits nearby, listening to a police radio. He hears an officer saying he has something at an old mill.

"What are you looking at there son?" Another officer replies.

"Honestly, Walt, I wouldn't even know how to describe what I'm seeing," the first officer says. "Just – send everybody."

"Alright, stay calm, stay by your car, help's on the way," the second officer assures him.

"That sounds weird," Dean says.

"Weird enough to be our guy?" Kayla wonders. Dean and Sam shrug.

Outside the old mill, the trio park and get out of the Impala. Dean looks around. "There was a murder here, and there's no police cars. There's nobody. How does that look to you?"

"Crappy," Sam replies, as Dean opens the trunk. They grab a stake each and a flashlight, and head into the building.

No sooner do they step in the door, everything changes. They're in a hospital, the boys wearing lab coats and scrubs and Kayla wearing scrubs. The weapons are gone. "What the hell?" Dean says. Two nurses walk by.

"Doctor," they both say looking at the boys.

"Doctor?" Sam repeats. Dean opens the door they just came out of, but it's a supply closet, and there's a woman and a man, both nurses, inside kissing. He closes it again. They start to walk forward, just as a dark-haired woman in scrubs walks up.

"Doctor," she says, then slaps Sam across the face.

"Ow!" he says.

"Seriously?" she says.

"What?" he asks.

"Seriously?" she says again. "You're brilliant, you know that? And a coward. You're a brilliant coward."

"Uh, what are you talking about?" Sam asks.

She slaps him again. "As if you don't know!" She walks away.

Dean stares. "I don't believe this."

"What?" Sam asks.

"That was Dr. Piccolo," Dean replies.

"Who?" Sam and Kayla ask.

"Dr. Ellen Piccolo! The sexy, yet earnest doctor at..." He sees the words up on the wall. "Seattle Mercy Hospital."

Kayla looks at Sam, "I'll handle this one. Uh, Dean? What the hell are you talking about?"

"The doctor get-ups. The sexy interns! The 'seriously's. It all makes sense!" Dean says.

"What makes sense?" Kayla asks, the pair of them gaping at him. "What's going on?"

"We're IN Dr. Sexy, M.D.," Dean replies.

"Dude, what the hell?" Dean asks as they round the corner.

"I dunno," Sam says.

"No seriously, what the hell?" Dean asks again.

"I don't know," Sam says again.

"One theory, any theory," Dean says.

"Uh, the trickster trapped us in TV land," Sam suggests.

"That's your theory? That's stupid," Dean replies.

"You're the one who said we're on Dr. Sexy, M.D.," Sam reminds him.

"Yeah, but TV land isn't TV land! I mean, there's actors, and lights, and crew members, you know. This looks real!" Dean says.

"It can't be," Kayla says. "Dean, how can this possibly be real?"

"I don't know, alright?" Dean says, stopping. A woman walks by. "Doctor."

"But there goes Dr. Wang," Dean says. "The sexy but arrogant heart surgeon." He sees a man in a robe sitting on a stretcher. "And there's Johnny Drake. He's not even alive. He's a ghost in the mind of... of her." A dark haired woman walks over and sits next to the man on the stretcher. "The sexy but neurotic doctor over there."

"It is so sad that you know all this," Kayla grins, looking up at Dean.

"So this show has ghosts?" Sam asks. "Why?"

"I dunno," Dean says. "It is compelling."

"I thought you said you weren't a fan," Sam says, smiling.

"I'm not. I'm not," Dean replies.

"Yeah, right," Kayla whispers to Sam. "He's turning into a fangirl." Dean turns and looks down the hallway, then freezes.

"Oh boy."

"What?" Sam asks.

"It's him," Dean says. "It's him, it's Dr. Sexy." A bearded man walks down the hallway towards them, then stops. Kayla frowns, looking at him closely, as though she recognises him.

"Doctor."

"Doctor," Dean replies, looking at the floor nervously.

"Doctor," the man says to Sam. Sam nods. Dean nudges him.

"Doctor," Sam says quickly. Kayla stays silent, still trying to work out how she knows him.

"You wanna give me one good reason why you defied my direct order?" the man asks Dean. "To do the experimental face transplant on Mrs. Beal?"

Dean glances at Sam. "One reason?"

"Sure," Dean says, clearing his throat. He glances down, and notices that the doctor is wearing white tennis shoes. He suddenly shoves Dr. Sexy against the wall. "You're not Dr. Sexy."

"You're crazy," the man says.

"Really?" Dean says. "Because I swore, part of what makes Dr. Sexy sexy is the fact that he wears cowboy boots. Not tennis shoes."

"Yeah, you're not a fan," Sam says behind him as Kayla snickers.

"It's a guilty pleasure," Dean snaps.

"Call security," Dr. Sexy says.

"Yeah, go ahead pal," Dean says. "See, we know what you are."

All around them, time freezes. Nobody's moving. Dean looks back at Dr. Sexy, and he changes into the Trickster.

"You guys are getting better!" he grins. "Hello Kayla."

"How do you know me?" she gasps, hiding behind Dean.

"Get us the hell outta here," Dean glares.

The Trickster looks around. "Or what?" He shoves Dean's arm off of him. "Don't see your wooden stakes, big guy."

"That was you on the police scanner, right?" Sam asks. "This was a trick."

"Hellloooo," the Trickster says. "Trickster! I heard you two yahoos were in town, how could I resist?"

"Where the hell are we?" Dean asks.

"You like it? It's all homemade," the Trickster says. "My own sets – my own actors. Call it my own little idiot box."

"You think I'm an idiot," Kayla pouts.

"No, of course not. I just brought you hear to keep you safe. If you're left alone pout there you may get hurt, and we can't have that can we?" the Trickster replies.

"How do we get out?" Dean asks. "And how do you know Kayla?"

"That, my friend, is the sixty-four dollar question," the Trickster replies. "And the other part is none of your business."

"Whatever. We just, we need to talk to you. We need your help," Sam says.

The Trickster looks at him. "Hmmm. Let me guess. You two mutton-heads broke the world, and you want me to sweep up your mess."

"Please. Just five minutes," Sam says. "Hear us out."

"Sure," the Trickster says. "Tell you what. Survive the next twenty-four hours, we'll talk."

"Survive what?" Dean asks.

"The game!" the Trickster smiles.

"What game?" Dean asks.

"You're in it," the Trickster replies.

"How do we play?" Dean asks.

"You're playing it," the Trickster says, shrugging.

"What are the rules?" Dean asks. The Trickster wiggles his eyebrows and disappears. "Oh, son of a bitch," Dean curses as time starts moving again.

"Oh by the way," Dean says as the boys head down another hallway, "Talking with monsters? Hell of a plan."

"Just... what do we do now?" Sam says.

"You know what I'm doing? Leaving," Dean replies. Sam stops suddenly, just managing to move out of the way of another slap in the face. It's the same doctor as earlier, Dr. Piccolo.

"Lady, what the hell?" Sam says. She shakes her head.

"You are a brilliant, brilliant..."

"Yeah, a coward. You already said that. But I got news for you. I am not a doctor," Sam says.

She gapes at him. "Don't say that! You are the finest cerebrovascular neurosurgeon I have ever met. And I have met plenty! So that girl died on your table. It wasn't your fault! It wasn't anybody's fault. Sometimes people just die."

Sam looks at her for a long time. "I have no idea what you're saying to me."

"You're afraid," she says, shaking her head gently. "You're afraid to operate again. And you're afraid to love." She walks away crying, and Dean rolls his eyes.

"Yeah. We're getting out of here," Sam says.

They walk a few more steps and then "Hey – Doctor?" There's a bearded man standing to their left.

They stop. "Yes?" Dean says.

"My wife needs that face transplant," the man says.

"Okay. You know what pal? None of this is real," Dean says. "Okay? And your wife doesn't need jacksquat. Okay?" They keep walking.

"Hey doctor," the man says, and he takes out a gun and shoots Dean in the back, then hurries away. Dean grabs for Sam.

"Real," he gasps. "It's real!"

"Dean!" Kayla screams.

"No no no," Sam says as Dean falls to his knees. "No no no! Hey! We need a doctor!"

A few minutes later, Dean is laying face down on an operating table. A whole bunch of doctors are standing around him, including Sam. Kayla's standing at the side of the room. "BP's eighty over fifty. And dropping," a nurse says, and looks at Sam. He nods awkwardly.

"Doctor," another nurse says, holding out an instrument.

"What?" Sam says, looking at her, then shaking his head at the instrument.

"Sam! Do something. Come on," Dean says. Sam leans close.

"I don't know how to use any of this crap!" he whispers.

"Figure it out!" Dean hisses. Sam straightens up and smiles at all the nurses again.

"Sam! Hurry up! I'm waiting," Dean says.

"You can do it Sam," Kayla says softly.

"Okay. I need a penknife, some dental floss, a sewing needle, and a fifth of whiskey," Sam says. Everyone stares at him. "STAT!" he says finally, and they move.

Sam finishes stitching up Dean's back. "We okay? How's it looking?" Dean asks anxiously.

"Yup. You'll be fine," Sam assures him. He glances up and sees Dr. Piccolo standing outside, watching him. She's crying.

"I love you," she mouths. Sam raises his eyebrows at her and looks away. Dean watches the floor, and the feet disappear. Suddenly, he can hear clapping. And chanting.

The boys are standing with their feet strapped into boots, up on platforms. Kayla is standing at the side, dressed in a skimpy red leather outfit. "What the hell am I wearing?" she whispers. A Japanese man comes out of some doors behind them, to loud cheering.

"Let's play – NUTCRACKER!" he yells, and everyone cheers again. The boys and Kayla look around. Below the brothers is a stick with a ball on the end of it. There's a timer on the wall. The man pulls out an envelope from his jacket.

"Sam Winchester," he says, then, speaking in Japanese, asks "What was the name of the demon you chose over your own brother? Countdown." The twenty seconds start going down.

"What?" Sam says. "Um. What am I supposed to say?"

"You think I know?" Dean replies.

"Don't look at me," Kayla calls, waving her hands.

"Uh, I don't understand Japanese," Sam says to the man. The man repeats the question, again in Japanese. Sam huffs. "Is he screwing with me? I – I can't speak Japanese!" The timer goes off.

"Ahhh," the man sighs. "The answer is 'Ruby'!" The boys shrug at each other. "I'm sorry, Sam Winchester."

"Sorry?" Sam repeats. "Sorry for what? Dean?" Dean shrugs. A second later, the ball on the stick flies up and hits Sam in the groin. Everyone cheers.

"NUTCRACKER!" the host yells again. Dean stares in horror and Kayla stands in shock.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?" Sam says, face red with pain. One of the girls standing nearby calls to the man, and he goes over, pulling Kayla with him. The girl passes her a packet. Kayla holds it up and smiles nervously.

"Play the game. Play the game," she mutters under her breathe.

"Have we discussed these nutritious Shrimp Chips?" the other girl says, in Japanese.

"Lots of nutrition tastes great, and the more one eats, the slimmer they get, just like you," the man says.

"You okay?" Dean asks Sam. Sam gives him a look.

There's a beeping noise, and lights flash.

"Now what?" Dean wonders. The doors open again, and Castiel walks through.

"Is this another trick?" Sam says.

"It's me," Cas says.

"Cas," Kayla calls and runs over.

"Uh, what are you doing here?"

"Us? What are you doing here?" Dean replies.

"Looking for you! You've been missing for days," Cas says.

"So get us the hell out of here then!" Sam says. "Let's go," Cas says, reaching out his hands towards them, but then he disappears.

"Cas?" Kayla asks , confused.

"No, no no no," the host says, walking over. "Mr. Trickster does not like pretty boy angels." He pulls out another envelope.

"Dean Winchester." Dean looks at him, wide-eyed. In Japanese, he asks "Would your mother and father still be alive, if your brother was never born? Countdown."

"What do I do? What do I do? I don't wanna get it in the nuts," Dean says desperately.

"I dunno, I don't – wait," Sam says. "I played a doctor."

"What?" Dean says.

"In Dr. Sexy! I played a doctor! I operated," Sam goes on.

"So?" Dean asks.

"So I played the role the trickster wanted me to play! Maybe we just have to go along with it," Sam explains.

"Go along with what?" Dean asks.

"With the game! We're on a game show right, so we just answer the question!"

"In Japanese?" Dean growls. "I don't know Japanese!"

"Try!" Sam urges.

"Dammit!" Dean presses the red button in front of him and the timer stops. Dean thinks for a minute, then says in Japanese "The answer is... yes?" The host looks at him for a long time.

"Dean Winchester – Nutcracker champion!" He throws the envelope in the air.

"How did you do that?" Sam asks.

"I have no idea," Dean says, forcing a grin.

"So that's it," Sam says. "We play our roles, we survive."

"Yeah, play our roles for how long?" Dean wonders.

"Good question," Sam replies.

"What about me?" Kayla asks. "I haven't had a role yet." The boys look at her, unable to answer her question.

The next thing Kayla knows she is in the middle of a church, standing in front of a glass window painting of an angel. "Where am I?" she wonders out loud.

"Hello Kay-Kay," the Trickster says from behind her. She turns around.

"How do you know me?" she asks quietly, fear evident in her eyes. The Trickster sighs and walks over to her. He tucks a stand of her long blonde hair behind her ear.

"You're still so beautiful," he says gently, looking down at her.

"Where are Sam and Dean?" she asks.

He smirks, "Genital Herpes advert." Kayla gently giggles and shakes her head.

"Why angels?" she asks, looking at the window.

"Just because you've lost your grace, doesn't mean that people can't tell that you're an angel." She looks at him surprised.

"Still so beautiful," he murmurs again before Kayla disappears.

The trio are in the Sun'n Sand motel.

Dean puts some food in the fridge, and then turns around. An invisible audience claps and cheers. He looks at the table, which has a gigantic sandwich on it. "I'm gonna need a bigger mouth," he says, and the audience laughs loudly. The door opens and Sam and Kayla walk in. "Hey there Sam. What's happening?" Dean asks.

"Oh nothing," Sam replies, putting his hands on his hips. "Just the end of the world." Dean smiles.

Sam and Kayla look at the sandwich. "You're gonna need a bigger mouth." The audience erupts in laughter again as Dean stares in surprise at them.

"Hey," Sam says. "Have you done your research yet?" Dean glances at the door behind him. "Oh yeah. All kinds of research. All night."

"Yeah?" Sam looks surprised, smiling. Whereas Kayla looks suspicious. The door opens behind Dean and a girl wearing only her bra and underwear walks out.

"Oh Dean! We have some more research to do."

Sam crosses his arms. "Dean..."

Dean sighs. "Son of a bitch."

Sam walks over to the scantily clad girl and takes her arm. "I am really really very sorry, but we've got some work to do." He leads her toward the door.

"But we did do work!" she says, looking at Dean. "In depth."

Kayla's standing there with her eyes closed, muttering, "Don't think about it. Brain will explode."

The girl waves at Dean as she leaves. Sam gives him a look.

"How long do we have to keep doing this?" Dean says through gritted teeth.

"I dunno," Sam says. "Maybe forever?" The audience laughs. "We might die in here," Sam adds, and they laugh again.

"How is that funny?" Dean snaps. "Vultures."

Castiel walks in, some bloody cuts on his face. The audience cheers.

"Cas," Kayla yells happily, running over to him. "What happened to you?"

"You okay?" Dean asks.

"I don't have much time," Cas says, coming over.

"What happened?" Sam asks.

"I got out," Cas says.

"From where?" Dean asks.

"Listen to me," Cas says. "Something is not right. This thing is much more powerful than it should be and it shouldn't be able to know what Kayla is."

"What thing, the trickster?" Dean asks.

"If it is a Trickster," Cas replies.

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

Suddenly Cas is thrown against the wall and falls to the floor. The Trickster jogs in.

"Hello!" Cas looks up – his mouth is taped shut. "Thank you! Please! Stop!" The Trickster waves his hand as the audience cheers. "Hi Castiel!" He flicks his hand, and Cas disappears.

"Not again," Kayla moans.

"Where did you just send him?" Dean asks.

"Relax! He'll live," the Trickster replies. "Mmmmaybe."

"Alright, you know what? I'm done with the monkey dance," Dean says dangerously, moving so he's right in front of the Trickster. "Okay? We get it."

"Yeah? Get what, hotshot?"

"Playing our roles! Right? That's your game," Dean says.

"That's half the game," the Trickster says.

"What's the other half?" Sam asks.

"Play your roles out there," the Trickster says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asks.

"Oh you know! Sam, starring as Lucifer. Dean, starring as Michael. Your celebrity death match! Play your roles!"

"You want us to say yes to those sons of bitches?" Sam says in surprise.

"Hells yeah! Let's light this candle!" The Trickster says.

"We do that, the world will end," Sam tells him.

"Yeah? And who's fault is that?" The Trickster asks. "Who popped Lucifer out of the box? Hmm? Look. It started! You started it! It can't be stopped. So let's get it over with!"

Dean nods, glaring. "Heaven or Hell? Which side you on?"

"I'm not on either side," he replies.

"Yeah right. You'll grab an ankle, Michael or Lucifer, which one is it?" Dean insists.

The Trickster smiles. "You listen to me, you arrogant dick. I don't work for either of those S.O.B.s. Believe me."

"Hmm," Dean says. "Oh, you're somebody's bitch." The Trickster grabs him and flings him against the wall. "Don't you ever – ever –presume to know what I am." He lets go of Dean with one hand and points at Sam. "Now listen very closely. Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna suck it up, accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you."

"Let him go," Kayla growls before Sam can say anything. The Trickster does as she asks.

"And if we don't?" Sam asks.

"Then you'll stay here in TV land. Forever," the Trickster replies. "300 channels, and nothing's on." He snaps his fingers.

The trio are at a crime scene. It's night. There's a dead man on the ground, he's been shot in the stomach. They're wearing suits and sunglasses.

"Oh, come on!" Dean says. Another officer walks up.

"So. What do you think?"

"What do I think? I think go screw yourself, that's what I think," Dean snaps irritably.

"Uh, could you give us a second please?" Sam asks. The man walks away. Sam puts his hand on Dean's shoulder. "You gotta calm down."

"Calm down? I am wearing sunglasses at night! You know who does that? No-talent douchebags." He takes them off. "I hate this game. I hate that we are in a procedural cop show. And you wanna know why? Because I hate procedural cop shows! There's like three hundred of them on television. They're all the freaking same! It's 'Oooh. Plane crashed here'. Oh shut up!" Kayla snickers at Dean's rant.

"Hey," Sam says, taking off his own sunglasses. "Check out sweet tooth over there." Dean looks. The man who talked them earlier is standing near the body, eating a lollipop.

"Think that's him?" Dean asks.

"Just follow my lead," Sam replies.

They put on their sunglasses and walk under the police tape. "You uh – you okay?" the officer with the lollipop asks as Kayla walks round to stand next to him.

"Yeah. What've we got?" Dean asks slowly.

"Well, aside from the ligature marks around his neck, he has what appears to be a roll of quarters jammed down his throat," the cop replies. Sam takes off his glasses to look.

"Well I say, jackpot." He puts back on his sunglasses.

The other cop laughs. "Also, there was a stab wound to the lower abdomen there." Dean picks up a stick and pokes at the wound, then stands up and puts back on his own sunglasses.

"Well I say, no guts, no glory."

"Get that guy a... Tums,"Sam adds. The cop chuckles appreciatively.

Dean looks at him. "Gutterball."

The cop laughs again. "Good one guys." Dean stabs him in the chest with a stake. The man falls to the ground and dies. Someone starts laughing behind Kayla. She turns to see the Trickster, standing behind them. "You got the wrong guy, idiot."

"Did we?" Dean asks, and Sam stabs the Trickster from behind.

A second later, the crime scene fades, and they're standing in the old abandoned mill again. Their clothes are back to normal. The Trickster is laying on the ground. The trio exchange glances.

Dean is brushing his teeth. "I'm worried, man. What that S.O.B. did to Cas. You know, where is he?" He turns around, heads out of the bathroom. "Sam?" No answer. The room's empty, except for Kayla asleep on the bed. "Where are you?"

Outside, Dean tries to call Sam, but only gets his voicemail. "Sam. It's me. Where the hell did you go?" Dean says, then hangs up as he and Kayla get in the Impala.

"Dean?" Dean and Kayla look around.

"Sam? Where are you?"

"I dunno," Sam says. Dean looks down. Where the Impala's radio usually is, there's a red light, going along with Sam's voice.

"Oh crap," Sam says. "I don't think we killed the Trickster."

Dean drives down the road. The Impala has flashing red lights on the front as well. "Okay. Stake didn't work," Dean says. "So what, this is another trick?"

"I dunno. Maybe the stake didn't work because it's not a trickster?" Sam's voice replies.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks.

"I mean, you heard Cas. He said this thing was too powerful to be a Trickster," Sam reminds him.

"Yeah, and did you notice the way he looked at Cas? Almost like he knew him," Dean comments.

"And he knew me, he knew what I was," Kayla says, looking at Dean.

"And how pissed he got when you brought up Michael and Lucifer," Sam adds.

"Son of a bitch," Dean says.

"What?" Sam asks.

"I think I know what we're dealing with," Dean replies.

Dean parks the car at Centennial Point Wilderness Area, and is going through the trunk. Kayla's leaning against the hood.

"Dean?" Sam's voice says.

"What?" Dean says.

"That – uh – feels really uncomfortable," Sam replies. Dean rolls his eyes and Kayla laughs. Dean then closes the trunk, hard.

"Ow," Sam says. "You sure this is gonna work?"

"No, but I have no other ideas," Dean says. He stands in front of the Impala and looks up. "Alright, you son of a bitch! Uncle! We'll do it!"

"Trickster!" Kayla yells.

"Should I honk?" Sam asks.

"Wow! Sam! Get a load of the rims on you," the Trickster says, walking up.

"Eat me," Sam snaps.

"Okay boys. Ready to go quietly?" The Trickster asks.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Not so fast," Dean says. "Nobody's going anywhere until Sam has opposable thumbs."

"What's the difference? Satan's gonna ride his ass one way or another," the Trickster replies. Dean glares at him. The Trickster sighs, snaps his fingers, and Sam climbs out of the car. "Happy?" the Trickster says.

"Tell me one thing. Why didn't the stake kill you?" Dean asks.

"Well I am the Trickster," he reminds them.

"Or maybe you're not," Dean says. Sam holds up a lighter, which he drops onto the ground. A ring of fire goes up around the Trickster.

"Maybe you've always been an angel," Dean says.

The Trickster laughs. "A what? Did somebody slip a mickey in your powershake, kid?"

"I'll tell you what," Dean says, ignoring him. "You just jump out of the holy fire, and we'll call it our mistake." The Trickster laughs again, then stops. The woods and conservation area around them disappears. They're back in the mill again.

The Trickster claps. "Well played, kids. Well played. Where'd you get the holy oil?"

"Well you might say we pulled it out of Sam's ass," Dean replies.

"Where'd I screw up?" the Trickster asks.

"You didn't. But nobody gets the jump on Cas like you did," Sam says. "Mostly it was the way you talked about Armageddon and the way you treated Kayla," Dean says.

"Meaning?" the Trickster asks.

"Well call it personal experience, but nobody gets that angry and protective unless it's their own family," Dean replies.

"So which one are you?" Sam asks. "Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey?"

"Gabriel, okay?" he says. "They call me Gabriel."

"Gabriel," Sam repeats. "The archangel."

"Guilty," Gabriel says.

"Brother," Kayla breaths, staring at him.

"Okay, Gabriel. How does an archangel become a Trickster?" Dean asks.

"My own private witness protection," Gabriel replies. "I skipped out of Heaven, had a face transplant, carved out my own little corner of the world. Till you two screwed it all up."

"And what did Daddy say when you ran off and joined the pagans?" Dean asks.

"Daddy doesn't say anything about anything," Gabriel says.

"Then what happened?" Sam asks. "Why did you ditch?"

"Well do you blame him?" Dean says. "I mean his brothers are heavy-weight douchenozzles."

"Hey!" Kayla exclaims. "They're my family too."

"Shut your cakehole," Gabriel says dangerously. "You don't know anything about my family. I love my father. My brothers. My sister. Love them! But watching them turn on each other? Tear at each other's throats? Succumb to madness and grief. I couldn't bear it! Okay? So I left. And now it's happening all over again."

"Then help us stop it!" Sam says.

"It can't be stopped," Gabriel says.

"You wanna see the end of the world?" Dean asks.

"I want it to be over!" Gabriel shouts. "I have to sit back and watch my own brothers kill each other, thanks to you two! Heaven, Hell, I don't care who wins! I just want it to be over!"

"It doesn't have to be like that," Sam cuts in. "There has to be some way to pull the plug."

Gabriel laughs. "You do not know my family! What you guys call the apocalypse? I used to call Sunday dinner. That's why there's no stopping this. Because this isn't about a war. It's about two brothers that loved each other, and betrayed each other. You think you'd be able to relate."

"What're you talking about?" Sam asks. Gabriel whistles.

"You sorry sons of bitches. Why do you think you two are the vessels? Think about it. Michael – the big brother. Loyal to an absent father. And Lucifer – the little brother. Rebellious of daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! 'As it is in Heaven, so it must be on Earth'. One brother has to kill the other."

"So what the hell are you saying?" Dean interrupts.

"Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you?" Gabriel asks. "Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always."

Dean looks at Sam. "No. That's not gonna happen."

"I'm sorry," Gabriel says. "But it is. Guys... I wish this were a TV show. Easy answers... endings wrapped up in a bow. But this is real. And it's gonna end bloody for all of us. That's just how it's gotta be."

"So... boys. Now what? Stare at each other for the rest of eternity?"

"Well first of all, you're gonna bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him," Dean snaps.

"Oh am I?" Gabriel says.

"Yeah. Or we're going to dunk you in some holy oil, and deep fry ourselves an archangel," Dean threatens.

"Please, Gabriel," Kayla begs.

"Never could say no to you." Gabriel rolls his eyes, but he snaps his fingers. Cas appears next to them.

"Cas, you okay?" Kayla asks.

"I'm fine," Cas replies. "Hello Gabriel."

Gabriel smiles. "Hey bro. How's the search for Daddy going? Let me guess. Awful!" Cas glares at him, but Gabriel isn't bothered.

"Okay, we're out of here," Dean says, a little shakily. "Come on, Sam, Kayla." They walk away, Dean pulling Kayla with him.

"Uh, okay. Uh, guys? So – so what? You're just gonna – you're gonna leave me here forever?" Gabriel calls.

Dean turns back. "No. We're not. Because we don't screw with people, like you do. And for this record? This isn't about some prize fight between your brothers. Or some destiny that can't be stopped. This is about you, being too afraid to stand up to your family!" He turns away and pulls fire alarm. Above them, the sprinklers turn on. "Don't say I never did anything for you," Dean calls.

"Look after yourself, little archangel," Gabriel says, completely ignoring Dean.

"Goodbye Gabriel," Kayla shouts. They leave. Gabriel watches them go as the fire around him slowly burns out.

"All that stuff he was spouting in there, you think he was telling the truth?" Dean asks as the boys, Kayla and Cas head to the car.

"I think he believes it," Sam replies.

"So what do we do?" Dean asks, looking at him.

"I dunno," Sam admits.

"I'll tell you one thing. Right about now, I wish I was back on a TV show," Dean says.

"Yeah me too," Sam agrees, and they get in the car.

"Do you think he knows who I was?" Kayla asks as they drive off.

"Maybe. But I wouldn't trust a word that comes out of his mouth," Dean says.

"Don't worry. You will find out some day," Sam assures her.

"I just hope that I find out in time," Kayla mutters.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Rewritten-

The trio are driving, fast. "Who is this Chuck?" Kayla asks.

"He's a profit of the Lord," Sam tells her. They turn down a road which has a sign beside it. The sign says "Welcome to The Pineview Hotel". They park and get out of the car quickly, and Dean suddenly stops. Beside the Impala, there are three other Impalas, exactly the same. He stares until Sam barks, "Dean! Come on!" Dean follows.

Chuck is pacing outside the Hotel, and he turns as the trio run up.

"Chuck! There you are," Sam says.

"Guys?" Chuck says.

"What's going on?" Dean asks.

"Uh, nothing. You know, just, um..." Chuck begins. "I'm just kinda... hangin... uh, what are you guys doing here?"

"You told us to come," Dean says.

"Uh, no I didn't," Chuck replies.

"Yeah you did, you texted me," Sam says. "This address, life or death situation, any of this ringing a bell?"

"No, I – I didn't send you a text," Chuck says.

"We drove all night!" Dean snaps irritably.

"I'm confused," Kayla moans.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what could..." Chuck begins, then "Oh no."

"What?" Dean barks.

"SAM?" a girl's voice says. They look up to see Becky, standing on the stairs. "You made it!"

"Oh uh, Becky, right?" Sam says as she runs up.

"Who's Becky?" Kayla asks Dean.

"You see Chuck over there. He writes and publishes books about mine and Sam's lives. Becky is a fan of Sam. Oh, and she is ever so-slightly crazy," Dean whispers back.

"Oh," Becky says, eyes widening. "You remembered. You've been thinking about me... it's okay, I can't get you out of my head either."

"Uh, did you take my phone?" Chuck interrupts.

She looks at him. "I just borrowed it. From your pants."

Chuck sighs. "Becky..."

"What?" she says. "They're gonna wanna see it."

"See what?" the boys and Kayla ask together.

"Oh my God, I love it when they talk at the same time!" Becky shrieks, grinning.

Then she sees Kayla, "Who are you?"

"A mutual friend asked them to protect me, so they are," Kayla replies

"Hey Chuck?" a voice interrupts. A man with a clipboard is standing on the porch. "Come on pal, it's showtime."

"Guys, I'm sorry," Chuck says. "For everything." The trio stare at each other in confusion, then follow him up the steps.

Inside, a heavyset man dressed in a leather jacket walks up and laughs. "Hey Dean! Lookin' good!"

"Who the hell are you?" Dean asks.

"I'm Dean, too," he says, turning to reveal that he's wearing Dean's necklace. "Duh." Dean turns to stare at Sam and Kayla, then jumps as from around the corner comes somebody dressed as the scarecrow.

"Uh oh," he says. "It's Sam and Dean. I'm in trouble now. Have fun you two." He holds up a plastic hook and taps Sam with it, then walks away.

Dean stares. "What...?" Sam's too busy looking around. A girl with blood coming out of her eyes is nearby, talking to a man dressed as a clown. There's drinking mugs on a table, with pictures of the Impala and "Route 666" on them. There's a man with black eyes handing out Supernatural books, and there's two men dressed as Bobby and Ash talking.

"Becky?" Sam says. "What is this?"

"It's awesome!" she smiles. "A Supernatural convention. The first ever." The trio stare some more. There's a man with Azazel's yellow eyes just a little ways away. Dean's eyes widen.

Sam, Dean and Kayla are standing and watching from behind a bunch of chairs as the man with the clipboard walks up onstage.

"Welcome to the first ever Supernatural convention," he says. "At 3:45 in the Magnolia room we have the panel, 'Frightened Little Boy: The Secret Life Of Dean'. And at 4:30 there's the homoerotic subtext of Supernatural. Oh, and of course the big hunt starts at 7pm sharp!" Everyone cheers and claps as the boys stare in horror.

"Homoerotic subtext?" Kayla questions, looking up at Sam and Dean.

"You don't want to know," Dean sighs.

"Okay guys – but right now, right now – I'd like to introduce the man himself. The creator and the writer of the Supernatural books, the one – the only – Carver Edlund!" Chuck walks up onstage to loud cheers and clapping. He walks up to the microphone.

"Uh, okay, good. This isn't nearly as awkward as I – uh, dry mouth." He turns and picks up a bottle of water and begins chugging it until it's almost empty. "Okay," he says. "So I guess uh... questions?" Everyone's hand goes up. He picks one of them, and a dark-haired man wearing Sam's jacket stands up.

"Hey, Mr. Edlund! Uh, big fan, wow... okay, I was just wondering. Where'd you come up with Sam and Dean in the first place?"

"Oh uh..." Chuck glances at Dean and Sam, and they both tilt their heads curiously. "It just... came to me," Chuck finishes lamely. More hands go up.

"Okay, the hook man," Chuck says.

"Okay, so why in every fight scene, Sam and Dean are having their gun or knife knocked away by the bad guy?" the hook man asks. "Why don't they keep it on some kind of bungee?"

"Uh, I really don't know," Chuck begins.

"Yeah, follow up – why can't Sam and Dean be telling that Ruby is evil? I mean she is clearly manipulating Sam in some kind of moral lapse. It's obvious, right?"

"Hey!" Becky says loudly, making Kayla jump. "If you don't like the books, don't read 'em, fritz!"

"Okay, okay, just uh..." Chuck interrupts. "It's okay. It's okay. Okay, next question."

He picks the next guy. "Yeah okay, so at the end of the last book, Dean goes to hell, so, what happens next?"

"Oh. There lies an announcement, actually. Um, you're all gonna find out. Um, thanks to a wealthy Scandinavian investor, we're gonna start publishing again," Chuck says, and everyone gets on their feet and cheers. Sam and Dean look at each other.

Outside, everyone is walking around and talking. Chuck goes over to the table where Becky is, carrying two drinks. "Uh, I got you a yellow-eyed cooler," he says.

She smiles. "Thanks, Chuck."

Chuck clears his throat. "So, Becky. I was wondering, are you doing anything..."

"Oh hi Sam!" Becky cries, cutting him off.

"Excuse us," Dean says. "In case you haven't noticed, our plates are kinda full, okay? Finding the Colt? Hunting the Devil? We don't have time for this crap!"

"Hey, I didn't call you," Chuck reminds them.

"He means the books, Chuck," Sam says. "Why are you publishing more books?"

"Um, for food and shelter?" Chuck replies.

"Who gave you the rights to our life's story?" Dean snaps, leaning closer.

"An archangel. And I didn't want it!" Chuck snaps back.

"An archangel? I am so lost," Kayla groans in the background.

"Well the deal's off, okay? No more books. Our lives are not for public consumption," Sam says.

"Um, Becky, would you excuse us for just a second?" Chuck says. She nods, and they leave.

Chuck leads them into a room at the side.

"Do you guys know what I do for a living?" he asks immediately.

"Yeah, Chuck, we know," Sam says.

"Then could you tell me? Cause I don't. Alright? I'm not a good writer. I've got no marketable skills, I'm not just some hero that can just hit the road and fight monsters. Okay? Until the world ends, I've gotta live. Alright? And the Supernatural books are all I've got. What else do you want me to do?" The trio are silent, until a girl screams somewhere in the hotel. The boys run towards the sound, even as Chuck calls "No, guys! Wait!"

"Hey Chuck, is there anything important that I need to know about the boys?" Kayla asks eagerly.

"You want the books don't you?" he asks smiling.

"Yep," Kayla grins, popping the 'p'.

"Come with me and I'll find you a set," Chuck says.

"Thank you," Kayla squeals, hugging him. He chuckles and walks off, with Kayla following.

He gets a complete set of the books and when she tries to pay for them, he refuses the money. "You need these more than these other people do, what with living with the boys and everything."

"Thanks Chuck," she smiles. She goes to turn around before stopping and turning back. "Hey Chuck. Do you know anyting about me? About who I am?"

He shakes his head, "I know as much as you do."

"Ok," she shrugs and walks off to find the brothers. She runs into them coming down the stairs. "Hi guys," she grins.

"What's in the bag?" Sam asks.

Kayla's grin grows. "Just stuff," she replies innocently.

"You brought the books didn't you?"

"Yeah." Sam and Dean shake their heads but don't say anything else.

Becky runs up to the boys and Kayla as they stand a little ways away.

"Oooh, the LARPing started," she says, grinning.

"Uh, what is that again?" Dean asks.

"Live Action Role Playing? It's a game. The Convention puts it on," she replies, holding out some papers to Sam.

Sam reads it. "Dad's Journal. Dear Sam and Dean, this hotel is haunted. You must haunt down the ghost. Interview witnesses, discover clues, and find the bones. First team to do so wins a fifty-dollar gift card to Sizzler. Love Dad." Dean rolls his eyes.

"You guys are so gonna win," Becky smiles.

Downstairs, a bunch of people wearing suits hold out fake IDs to the man running the Convention. "Why yes, Agents Lennon and McCartney," he says. "As manager of this fine establishment, I can assure you that it is indeed –haunted. This building was once an orphanage, run by mean old Leticia Gore. One hundred years ago, this very night, Ms. Gore went insane, and butchered four little boys, before killing herself." The trio watch from a distance. "Now, folks say that the souls of those poor little boys are trapped here. And that the evil spirit of Ms. Gore punishes them, to this very day," the man goes on.

"Well, that's just about all the community theatre I can take," Dean comments.

"How can they talk about killing children so callously?" Kayla asks, looking up at Dean. He squeezes her should in assurance.

"Yeah, this cannot get any weirder," Sam agrees. The two men from earlier walk by.

"Dad said – he said I may have to kill you," the one dressed as Dean says.

"Kill me! What the hell does that mean?" the Sam guy rasps.

"I don't know," the Dean one says, and they walk away. The boys look at each other.

"I need a drink," they say in unison.

Dean and Sam are sitting at the bar, having a drink. Kayla's on her phone again. Dean glances over at the girl next to them – it's the same one who was playing Leticia Gore.

"How you doing?" he says.

She doesn't look up from her phone. "Busy."

"Well you sure look lovely tonight," Dean goes on. "Especially for a dead chick."

"Buddy, I have heard that line seventeen times tonight," she says, still not looking at him. "Okay? And all from dudes wearing MacGyver jackets." She finally looks at him, and then she smiles. "But you seem different."

"How so?" Dean asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Well you don't seem scared of women," she comments. Dean smirks. Kayla rolls her eyes.

"For the last time, I'm not making this up, okay? She's upstairs – a real, live, dead ghost!" The man who was thrown around upstairs is standing nearby, talking to his friend, who is dressed as Dean. The trio glance at each other.

"Excuse me," Dean says, and they get up.

"Look, I'm sure it was just one of the actors," the friend says.

"Who beat the crap out of me and then vanished?" the Sam guy says disbelievingly.

"You saw something?" Sam asks, walking up.

"Look, this isn't part of the game, jerk," the man says. "Tim, I'm getting out of here, and you should do the same." He walks away.

"Alex, wait..." the friend follows. "Hey, come back!"

"What do you think?" Sam asks.

"I don't think that guy is a good enough actor to be acting," Kayla replies.

"Why yes, Agents Jagger and Richards," the man running the Convention is saying to a bunch of suited men. "As manager of this fine establishement, I can tell you it is indeed haunted. The building was once an orphanage..." Sam, Dean and Kayla walk by, heading to the front desk.

"Excuse us – mind if we ask you a few questions?" Dean says to the man standing there.

"Look, I don't have time to play Star Wars guys," the man replies. "Go ask the guy in the ascot."

"Actually, we really wanna talk to you," Dean replies, pulling a bill out of his wallet and sliding it across the desk. Kayla decides to remain quiet and lets Sam and Dean deal with the conversation. She pulls out her phone and listens to the conversation secretly.

The man laughs. "Okay – you guys are really into this."

Sam smiles fakely. "You have no idea."

The man takes the money. "What do you wanna know?"

"All this stuff they're saying – the place being haunted, Leticia Gore – any truth to it?" Sam asks.

The manager smiles. "We generally don't like to publicize this to - you know – normal people, but yeah. 1909, this place was called Gore Orphanage. Ms. Gore killed four boys with a butcher knife. Then offed herself."

"And is tonight really the anniversary?" Dean asks.

"Yep. Guess your convention folks want authenticity," the manager replies.

"Huh. There been any sightings?" Sam asks.

"Uh, over the years, yeah. A few maids have quit, saying they heard the boys, or saw them. A janitor even saw Ms. Gore once."

"Where did Ms. Gore carve up the kids?" Dean asks. Behind them, the same two guys from earlier - who interrupted them with the maid upstairs – walk by, then stop, listening.

"Look, I don't want you stomping all over the joint," the manager says. "A lot of this place is off limits to nerds." Dean puts down another bill, and the manager takes it. "The attic." The boys nod.

In the attic, the trio walk in with flashlights. Sam's holding the EMF meter.

"EMF's going nuts," he says.

"Great," Dean replies. "We got a real ghost, and a bunch of dudes pretending to be us poking at it."

"No way this ends well," Sam agrees.

"You know what, serves them right," Dean says, stopping.

"Hey," Kayla says gently.

"Well I'm just saying," Dean says. They go further in.

Upstairs, the real boys and Kayla continue to look. After a bit, they hear a voice. "My Mommy loves me." They turn to see a little boy – a different one than before – sitting on the ground, his hands on his head. "I said, my Mommy loves me."

"I'm sure she does," Kayla says, nodding.

"My Mommy loves me this much," the little boy says, and takes his hands off his head. There's a huge patch of skin missing. The boys eyes widen, and then the little boy disappears.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Kayla gasps.

Downstairs, Becky is sipping her drink. She looks up and sees Sam talking on his phone, then smiles. Sam nods at her awkwardly. She grins, licks her hand, then blows on it in Sam's direction. Sam waves. Chuck, who is sitting next to Becky, sighs. "Awesome."

Sam goes over to sit with Dean and Kayla. "Okay, so that was a guy with the County Historical Society."

"And?" Dean asks.

"Not only did Leticia Gore butcher four boys, but one of them was her own son," Sam begins.

"Her son?" Kayla repeats, horrified.

"Yeah. According to the police at the time, she scalped the poor kid," Sam tells him.

"Oh that's it, I'm gonna deep fry this bitch extra crispy," Dean says.

"I'll help," Kayla growls.

"Dude say where she was buried?" Dean asks.

"He doesn't know," Sam replies.

"Check it out," a raspy voice says, and they turn to look. The two guys dressed as Sam and Dean are sitting nearby, looking at the map. "There's the orphanage, there's the carriage house, and right there? Cemetery," 'Sam' says, pointing.

"You think that's where Leticia's planted?" 'Dean' asks. The real boys get up and walk over, Kayla following. Sam feels the map.

"Hey, you mind?" 'Dean' asks, standing up.

"No," Kayla smirks.

"It's real," Sam says. "A century old at least. And he's right, there is a cemetery on the grounds."

"Where'd you get that?" Dean asks.

"It's called a game, pal," 'Dean' replies. "It ain't called charity."

"Yeah right, give me the map, Chuckles," Dean says, holding out his hand.

"Oh you're the chuckles, Chuckles," 'Dean' says. "Besides, Dean don't listen to nobody." He opens his jacket to reveal a red and white plastic gun tucked in his belt.

"Dean! Cool it," 'Sam' says.

Dean pulls out his own gun, but Sam turns to him. "Dean!"

"What? They're fricking annoying," Dean says.

"I agree," Kayla says, glaring at the fake brothers.

"Look – guys. We all wanna find the bones, right?" Sam says. "We just thought it would go faster if we all worked together."

"Uh, we get the Sizzler gift card," 'Sam' replies.

"Fine," Dean says.

"We get to be Sam and Dean," 'Dean' adds. The boys exchange glances.

"Fine," Dean says again.

"Yes," 'Dean' whispers.

Outside, 'Dean' turns to the trio. "Hey, Rufus, Bobby, Kayla, would you hurry it up?"

"You alright?" Sam asks as they lag behind a little.

"I'm trying to be," Dean replies.

"So where were we?" 'Sam' asks.

"Uh, Dr. Ellicott had just zapped your brain," 'Dean' replies.

"Right, got it," 'Sam' says, clearing his throat. "Why are we even here, Dean? Are you just following Dad's footsteps like a good little soldier? You that desperate for approval?"

Dean raises his eyebrows as 'Dean' replies "This isn't you talking, Sam."

"See that's the difference between you and me. I've got a mind of my own. I'm not pathetic," 'Sam' replies.

"So what're you gonna do, Sam? You gonna kill me?" 'Dean' asks.

"Man, I am so sick of you telling me what to do!" 'Sam' growls.

"Alright, you know what? That's it," Dean says, and the two guys turn to look at him. "That is it."

"What's wrong Bobby?" 'Dean' asks.

"I'm not Bobby, 'kay? You're not Sam, you're not Dean," Dean says loudly. "What is wrong with you? Why in the hell would you choose to be these guys?"

"Because we're fans," 'Sam' replies. "Like you."

"No, I am not a fan," Dean cuts in. "Okay? Not fans! In fact, I think that the Dean and Sam story sucks! It is not fun, it's not entertaining, it's a river of crap that would send most people howling to the nuthouse! So you listen to me. Their pain is not for your amusement! I mean, you think they enjoy being treated like circus freaks?"

"Uh, I don't think they care," 'Dean' replies. "Because they're fictional characters." Kayla winces at his choice of words.

"Oh they care," Dean says dangerously. "Believe me. They care a lot." He pushes past the two guys and keeps walking. The two guys stare at Sam and Kayla questioningly.

"Uh, yeah. He takes the story very seriously," Sam says.

In the cemetery, Dean finds the four boys' graves, and Sam finds Leticia's. Dean looks up to see the other two guys looking around as well.

"Uh, what are you guys doing?" he asks.

"Uh, we're looking for bones, genius," 'Dean' replies. "Gotta be around here somewhere."

"Okay, generally bones are in the ground," Dean says as Sam puts down his bag.

"Yeah, I know that. I'm just..." 'Dean' begins, then stops as Sam pulls a shovel from his bag. "Wait, hold on. Are you guys serious?"

"Deadly," Dean replies.

"We're not really digging up graves you guys, we're just playing the game, so..." 'Sam' says.

"Trust us," Dean says. "You wanna win the game, right?" They nod. The boys head off to dig up the graves, leaving Kayla with the fake brothers.

As Dean digs, the other two guys watch. Dean hits the coffin, then jumps in. The wind is picking up. Dean pries open the coffin.

'Dean' gags. "That's uh, not a plastic skeleton, that's a skeleton skeleton."

"You just dug up a real grave," 'Sam' adds.

"Yeah," Dean says. 'Dean' looks at Sam. "You guys are nuts."

"I thought you guys said you wanted to be hunters," Sam replies.

"Hunters aren't real, man. This isn't real," 'Dean' says, and they start to walk away.

"Oh my God, you guys have just seriously lost your grip on this..." 'Sam' begins, then freezes as he looks back.

"What?" Sam asks. The ghost of Leticia Gore is standing right beside him. She hits him in the face, and he falls to the ground. Kayla runs over to him but Leticia throws her away. She hits a headstone and stays down. The two guys run as Dean starts to salt the body. 'Sam' falls, and Leticia catches them, putting her hands on their chests. They scream in pain. Dean finally sets the body on fire, and Leticia disappears with a scream.

"Real enough for you?" Dean asks as the two guys stare in horror.

"Why it is the head? Why is it always the head?" they hear Kayla groan.

'Dean' and 'Sam' are sitting at the bar. "That was really..." begins 'Sam'.

"Awful, right?" Dean says from behind them. "Exactly." He pulls out some money and puts it on the bar. "Round's on us, guys."

"See you around," Sam adds.

"Hey – how did you know how to do all that?" 'Dean' asks.

"We um – we read the books," Sam replies. They walk over to where Chuck is standing with the convention guy.

"Hey Chuck," Dean says, "Good luck with the Supernatural books. And screw you very much." They walk away.

"Fans of yours?" the guy asks.

"Mm, I'd say no," Chuck says.

The trio head for the doors, but they won't open. They push harder, then Kayla tries the locks. Nothing. "That's weird," Dean comments.

"Definitely," Sam agrees.

Dean's trying the windows when Sam walks up. "Anything?" Dean asks.

"Every exit's locked," Sam replies. "Almost like..."

"Something's keeping us in?" Dean finishes. "Yeah."

"This is bad," Sam says.

"Gee, you think Sammy?" Dean says sarcastically. Someone screams, and they hurry toward the sound.

The actress playing Leticia Gore is running. "Don't go in there," she warns, looking back at the room.

"Get downstairs, okay?" Dean tells her. "Go, go!" They turn back. The little boy with the bloody head is sitting in the corner.

"Why did you do that?" he asks. "Why did you send my Mommy away?"

"Um, maybe because of the high and tight she gave you?" Dean replies. "Huh? How about some thanks?" Sam clears his throat and Kayla kicks his leg. Dean looks at him. "Well I'm just saying, a little gratitude might be nice once in a while."

"My Mommy didn't do this to me," the little boy says.

"What? Then who did?" Kayla asks. The boy disappears.

Dean, Sam and Kayla rush toward the scream, and find the man dead on the floor, a patch of skin on his head missing. Kayla screams and Dean pulls her towards him, letting her bury her face in his shirt.

"Well guys, I guess we're out of time, so..." Chuck is saying to his audience. "Thank you for your incredibly probing, rigorous questions. And have a good night." Sam runs up on the stage suddenly and whispers in his ear. "What? Holy crap!" Chuck yells. Sam puts his hand over the microphone.

"You gotta keep everyone safe in here, Chuck. This is life or death."

"For how long?" Chuck asks.

"As long as it takes," Sam replies.

"Well, how the hell am I supposed to do that?" Chuck asks.

Sam glances at the audience. "I dunno, man. Just do it." He leaves. Chuck turns back to the audience.

"Okay. So, good news.I got much more to tell you. I guess. It's awesome."

"Buddy, I got work to do," the hotel manager is saying as Dean and Kayla usher him and the other staff into the room where Chuck is.

"You're gonna wanna see this – trust me. It's gonna be a hell of a show," Dean assures him. Once everybody's in, Dean closes the door, and he and Sam put salt lines in front of all the entrances.

"Uh, what does the future hold for Sam and Dean?" Chuck is saying. "Well, how do you feel about angels? Yeah, no, cause let me tell you – they're not nearly as lame as you'd think."

Sam goes over to Dean. "Okay. New theory."

"The legends about Leticia are ass-backwards, obviously," Dean says.

"Yeah. Alright, let's say those three orphans were... were playing cowboys and indians," Sam begins.

"LARPing, as cowboys and indians," Dean adds. Kayla groans.

"Whatever. And let's say they scalped Leticia's son, and killed him," Sam finishes.

"Mom catches them in the act, flips out," Dean adds. "Slices them and dices herself."

Sam huffs. "If that's true, it means we've got three bloodthirsty brats in the building."

"Yeah, and Leticia was the only thing keeping them under control," Dean says.

"Until we took her out," Kayla adds.

"Smooth move on our part," Dean says. "Alright, well we gotta get back to the cemetery and torch the kids' bones."

"How?" Sam asks. "We're trapped. We don't even have our guns. Ghosts are running this joint, and they're only scared of one thing."

"Exactly," Dean says, smiling a little.

"You want me to do what?" The actress asks.

"You're an actress, alright? We just want you to act," Dean says smiling.

"I work at Hooters. In Toledo," she says. "You can forget it."

"You'll be safe. We promise," Sam cuts in. "This is really important." A hand comes down on Dean's shoulder, and they turn to see the two guys from earlier.

"We wanna help," 'Dean' says. "Just give her the puppy dog thing, okay?"

Dean says to Sam, then turns to the two men. "Guys? No."

"Why not?" 'Sam' asks.

"Because this isn't make believe," Dean replies.

"Look, we know. We're not nuts," 'Dean' says. "We're freaking terrified."

"But if all these people are seriously in trouble? We gotta do something," 'Sam' adds.

"Why?" Dean asks.

"Because! That's what Sam and Dean would do," 'Dean' says. Dean and Kayla blink.

"Uh, no there's really no such thing as a Croatoan virus for – down there – uh, you really should see a doctor," Chuck is saying.

The actress walks into the room, breathing heavily. "Uh. I don't wanna do this." Kayla leans around the corner.

"I'm right here sweetheart. I got your back. Trust me, this is gonna work."

"Boys? Boys? Come here this instant," she says shakily. Nothing. "You come when I call you! Do you understand me?"

"Ms. Gore?" she turns to see the three boys.

"You boys have been very naughty," the girl goes on. "Now you open the doors. Open the doors right now!" The boys flicker.

"Very naughty," she goes on. "You hear me? Naughty, naughty, naughty!" Suddenly, her cellphone rings. The little boys look at each other. Kayla closes her eyes.

The actress slowly pulls her cellphone out of her pocket and turns it off, but the damage is done. The boys raise their knives. Kayla comes around the corner. "Run." She runs, and Kayla raises the iron poker she's holding.

"God, I hope this work," she groans quietly.

Kayla is thrown against the wall and drops the poker. The boys raise their knives. Suddenly, the actress picks up the poker and strikes them with it, then helps up Dean. "Thanks..."

"Kelly," the actress says.

"Thanks Kelly," Kayla gasps, but a second later Kelly is thrown against the wall. The poker goes flying.

Kayla is thrown back on the ground, and one of the little boys jumps on her, stabbing her arm.

One of the boys pulls Kelly back and holds the knife to her head, preparing to scalp her. "Kayla!" she yells, but Kayla is on the floor, a knife over her own head. Suddenly, the boys vanish in flames.

Kayla picks up the poker. "You know, maybe that guy was right with the bungee idea." Kelly nods.

Dean is leaning on the Impala, thinking. Kayla walks up next to him.

"How's your arm?" he asks her.

"It still kinda hurts, but it's alright," she replies. He smiles to himself as Sam walks up.

"You okay?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, you know – I think I'm good," Dean replies, still smiling.

"Well, you're not gonna believe it, but I got a lead on the Colt," Sam says.

"The colt?" Kayla asks.

"Demon killing gun, could kill Lucifer," Sam tells her.

"What?" Dean says.

"Long story. Tell you on the way?" Sam replies.

Dean shrugs. "What're we waiting for?" They get in and drive away.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 Rewritten-

It's the middle of a city, at a crossroads, under some busy bridges. A limo pulls up, and a man in a suit gets out. He curses as he steps in a puddle, then walks to the middle of the crossroads and digs a hole. He puts in a small metal box. He covers it up, then stands.

"Mr. Pendleton, I presume," comes a man's voice, with an English accent. The man turns to see another man, wearing all black.

"The name's Crowley," the second man says.

"Uh, in my negotiations, I was dealing with a very young, attractive lady," Mr. Pendleton says.

"Yes, I know," Crowley acknowledges. "But you – biggie banker – you, are a big fish. And I wanted to do you the honour of sealing this deal personally."

Pendleton laughs. "She said the deal would be sealed with a kiss."

Crowley nods. "That's right."

Pendleton stares. "No – I mean, she's..."

"Your choice," Crowley interrupts. "You can cling to six decades of deep-seated homophobia, or just give it up. And get a complete bail out of your bank's ridiculous incompetence."

Pendleton shakes his head. "There are just things that I..."

"Going once," Crowley says. "Going twice..."

"Alright!" Pendleton growls, turning toward him. Crowley kisses him. Behind them, Castiel and Kayla are watching from a distance.

"Got him," Cas says into his cellphone.

Crowley steps back from Pendleton. "The demon Crowley is making a deal," Castiel says. "Even as we speak, it's... going down."

"Going down?" Dean repeats. He's standing beside the Impala, Sam on the other side. "Right. Okay, Huggy Bear. How's Kayla?"

"I'll pass you over," Cas says, passing the cellphone to Kayla.

"Hey Kayla," Dean says.

"Dean, did you know that you seal a demon deal with a kiss?"

"Yes Kayla, I knew that," Dean says, grinning. "Now that I know that you are alright, can I speak to Cas?"

"Sure Dean, see you soon." Kayla passes the phone back to Cas.

"Don't lose the demon, Cas," Dean says.

"I won't lose him," Cas replies.

"Damn you," Pendleton says.

Crowley smiles as Pendleton walks away. "Enjoy the obscene wealth! See you in ten years." He starts to walk, and Castiel and Kayla follow him at a distance. Crowley disappears, and Castiel disappears in the exact same place, taking Kayla with him.

"We followed him," he says into the phone. They're standing outside a huge mansion. "It's not far, but it's layered in Enokian warding magic. I can't get in but Kayla will still be able to."

"That's okay. You did great," Dean says. "We'll take it from here."

"I'll drop Kayla off in a minute," Cas says.

"Ok Cas."The boys drive off.

"I don't see the Enokian sigils, Cas," Kayla says, looking up at him.

He smiles down at her, "You're still human, so you won't. But they may still have an effect on you."

"Huh?" she asks, looking completely confused.

"They may still affect you because of who you were, just like the banishing sigil did."

"Oh, ok Cas," she nods. "See you soon." He hugs her goodbye, before placing two fingers on her forehead, transporting her way. The next thing Kayla sees is Sam and Dean looking at her.

"Hi guys," she grins. They shake their heads and continue driving.

Crowley is making himself a drink inside his mansion. He sits down in front of his television, on which he is watching clips of Hitler and Nazis. He smiles.

Later that night, two blond girls walk up to the gate. One is wearing a black dress and the other is dressed in a red dress. The one in black walks up to the buzzer and presses it.

"Hello?" a man's voice says.

"Hello? My car broke down, I need some help," she says.

"I'll be down in a minute," the man's voice says. The girls exchange glances and turn around. It's Jo and Kayla. The gate opens behind them, and they walks in. Two large men in suits walk up.

"Evening pretty ladies. Get yourselves on in here."

Kayla smiles nervously. "I just need to make a call."

The man shakes his head. "You don't need to call anyone, baby." He looks back at the other man as Kayla and Jo glance at each other. "We're all the help you're ever gonna need."

"You know what?" Jo begins. "I think we should wait by our car." They start to leave, but the men grab their shoulders.

"We said, get your asses in here." Their eyes go black. Jo twists around and hits his arm, breaking it. Sam stabs the demon who is holding Kayla in the neck. He then stabs the one who had Jo. Dean runs up with their bag.

"Nice work, girls."

"Thanks," Jo says, pulling some pliers from the bag. "Shall we?"

Crowley is still watching TV when suddenly the power goes out. He smiles.

He starts to head down the hall. "It's Crowley, right?" Sam says. The boys and Kayla are blocking his way, Sam and Dean holding shotguns.

"So. The Hardy Boys finally found me," Crowley replies. "Took you long enough. Oh and look, you've even brought me a gift. A little fallen angel and it's the baby of the family." Kayla glances at the brothers, looking scared. He starts to walk forward, then stops at the edge of a rug. It's a little bit rumpled. He crouches and lifts the edge. There's a devil's trap on the bottom. "Do you have any idea how much this rug costs?" Crowley asks, standing. Three demons grab the trio from behind, knocking the guns from the boys hands. "This is it, right?" Crowley says, holding up the Colt. "This is what it's all about." He aims it toward them, then shoots the two demons that are holding them captive. "We need to talk," he says. "Privately."

He leads them into another room.

"What the hell is this?" Dean asks.

"Do you know how deep I could've buried this thing?" Crowley comments, then waves his hand to shut the door behind them. "There's no reason you, or anyone, should know this even exists at all. Except that I told you."

"You told us," Sam repeats.

"Rumours. Innuendo. Sent out on the grape vine," Crowley replies.

"Why? Why tell us anything?" Kayla asks from behind Sam. Crowley aims the Colt at Dean.

"I want you to take this thing to Lucifer, and empty it into his face."

Dean nods. "Uh huh. Okay, and why exactly would you want the Devil dead?"

Crowley puts the gun on the table. "It's called survival. But I forgot, you Winchester's at best are functional morons."

"Yeah, you're functioning... morons," Dean says lamely, then stops. Kayla rolls her eyes.

"Lucifer isn't a demon, Dean," Kayla says, staring at Crowley. "He's an angel.

"An angel famous for his hatred of human kind," Crowley continues. "To him you're just... filthy bags of pus. If that's the way he feels about you, what could he think about us?" He picks up his glass.

"But he created you," Sam reminds him.

"To him we're just servants," Crowley says. "Cannon fodder. If Lucifer manages to exterminate human kind... we're next. So. Help me. Huh? Let's go back to simpler, better times! Back to when we could all follow our natures! So what do you say. What if – I give you this thing..." He picks up the Colt, "...and you go kill the Devil."

Sam slowly reaches out his hand and takes it. "Okay."

"Great," Crowley smiles.

"You wouldn't happen to know where the Devil is, by any chance, would you?" Sam says.

Crowley thinks. "Thursday... birdies tell me he has an appointment in Carthage, Missouri."

Sam nods. "Great. Thanks." He raises the gun, points it at Crowley's head, and pulls the trigger. Nothing happens.

"Oh yeah, right, you probably need some more ammunition," Crowley says calmly, and walks away to his desk.

"Course we do, genius," Kayla mutters.

"Uh, excuse me for asking, but aren't you kind of signing your own death warrant? I mean what happens to you if we go up against the Devil and lose?" Dean asks.

"Number one, he's gonna wipe us all out anyway. Two, after you leave here, I go on an extended vacation to All Points, Nowhere. And three, how about YOU DON'T MISS? OKAY? MORONS?" He throws the ammo at Dean, who catches it.

The boys are sitting nearby with beers. Kayla's sitting with them, watching Castiel and giggling.

Sam sighs. "It's gotta be a trap, right?"

Dean smiles. "Sam Winchester, having trust issues with a demon. Well, better late than never."

Sam smirks. "And thank you again, for your continued support."

"You're welcome," Dean replies. They clink the bottles together and drink.

"You know, trap or no trap, if we've got a snowball's chance, we've gotta take it right?" Dean says.

Sam shrugs. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Besides, I'm not sure it is a trap," Dean says. "Check it out." He shows Sam some papers. "I mean, Carthage is lit up like a Christmas tree with Revelation omens.

"And, look at this. There's been six missing persons reported – in town – since Sunday. I think the Devil's there."

"His name is Lucifer, not the devil," Kayla interrupts."And don't forget that he is also, apparently, my brother."

"Sorry Kayla," Dean apologizes.

"Okay," Sam agrees.

"But if we think about it," Dean begins, "you two can't come with."

"Dean," Sam tries to cut in, but Dean keeps talking.

"Look, I go get Satan and screw the pooch? Okay. Yeah, we've lost a game piece. That we can take. But if you're there, then we are handing the Devil's vessel right over to him. That's not smart. And Kayla is his little sister, a little archangel, even if she doesn't have her grace yet, she will get it eventually. And when she does, she will be very powerful." Sam and Kayla roll their eyes.

"Since when have we ever done anything smart?"

"I'm serious, Sam," Dean replies.

"So am I," Sam snaps. "Haven't we learned a damn thing? If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it together." They look at each other for a long moment, then Dean picks up his beer. "Okay. But it's a stupid frigging idea."

"Yay," Kayla grins before getting up and hugging Dean. She then turns around and leaves.

"Where're you going?" Dean calls.

She turns around and smirks, "To rescue my big brother." She walks over to Cas and pulls him up, "Come on big bro. Come talk to me." She pulls him away from the table. She sees Dean flirting with Jo and whispers to Cas, "That's not gonna end the way Dean wants."

"Everybody get in here!" Bobby calls. "It's time for the lineup." He's setting up a camera. "Usual suspects, in the corner."

"Oh come on Bobby, nobody wants their picture taken," Ellen says, walking in with Sam.

"Hear hear," Sam says.

"Shut up, you're drinking my beer," Bobby replies. "Anyway, I'm gonna need something to remember your sorry asses by." They all line up. Cas, Sam and Dean standing at the back. Ellen and Jo in front of Dean with Bobby in front of them. Kayla stands in front of Cas. He puts his arm around her.

Ellen laughs. "Always good to have an optimist around."

"Bobby's right," Cas says. "Tomorrow we hunt the Devil. This is our last night on Earth."

"Cas," Kayla whines. "Stop making everyone sad."

"Sorry Kayla," he apologizes. The camera flashes, and they all look worried.

Sam, Dean and Kayla are driving down the streets of Carthage, Missouri. They're empty. The boys are holding up their cellphones.

"You getting a signal?" Sam asks.

"No, nothing," Dean replies. "Nice and spooky." He waves out the window, and Jo and Ellen follow in their truck.

"Place seem a little empty to you?" Ellen comments as they pull up beside them.

"We're gonna go check out the PD. You guys stay here, see if you can find anybody," Dean says, and the pull away. Ellen parks and they get out. Jo looks around, then looks in the back seat, where Castiel is sitting and knocks on the window.

Ellen pulls up next to the boys and Kayla. "Station's empty," Dean says.

"So's everything else," Jo adds.

"Have you seen Cas?" Ellen asks.

"What? He was with you," Sam replies.

"You lost Cas?" Kayla asks looking worried.

"Nope. He went after the Reapers," Ellen tells them.

"Reapers?" Dean repeats.

"He saw Reapers? Where?" Sam asks.

"Well kind of... everywhere," Jo replies.

"Can't you feel them?" Kayla asks. Everyone stares at her. "Now that I know what they are it kinda makes sense. Oh why did Cas have to disappear?"

The boys look at each other.

"Well this is great, we've only been in town for twenty minutes and we've already lost the angel up our sleeve," Dean says. Kayla glares at him. They're all crossing the road carrying shotguns.

"You think Lucifer got him?" Sam wonders. Kayla looks up at him, worried.

"I dunno what else to think," Dean replies.

"There you are," a woman's voice says, and they spin around.

"Meg," Sam says. She smiles and shakes her head. "Shouldn't have come here, boys."

"Yeah, I could say the same thing for you," Dean says, walking forward and aiming the Colt at her.

"Didn't come here alone, Deano," she says. Beside her, there's a splash in one of the puddles and growling.

Dean glances around nervously. "Hellhounds."

"Yeah Dean! Your favourite," she says.

"Come on boys. My father wants to see you. And he wants to see you as well little angel." She adds, glancing at Kayla.

"I think we'll pass, thanks," Sam says.

"Your call," Meg says. "You can make this easy, or you can make it really really hard." Dean glances back at Ellen, who nods. He looks back at Meg.

"When have you known us to ever make anything easy?" He shoots the hellhound next to her, and blood sprays. They run. The hellhounds chase them.

One of them grabs Dean, and he falls. "Dean!" Jo shouts.

"Jo, stay back!" Dean says, but she fires at the hellhound anyway, over and over until it's dead. But a second one jumps her from behind, knocking her down and tearing her stomach with its claws. Ellen shouts and rushes back, followed by Sam and Kayla, who shoots at them. Dean picks up Jo and they keep running, ending up in a hardware store. Blood trails behind Dean and Jo as they enter. Sam grabs a chain off the wall and holds the door shut with it.

"Boys, I need some help here!" Ellen calls from Jo's side.

Dean's already grabbing salt bags, and together the boys and Kayla lay salt lines in front of the windows and doors. They go back to where Ellen and Jo are. Jo's pale, breathing heavily. Ellen slowly removes her hand from the wounds, and blood flows out steadily.

"You're gonna be alright, okay? You're gonna be alright," Ellen's saying, holding bandages against Jo's side. Sam brings her some water while Dean fiddles with the radio.

"How's she holding up?" Dean asks as Sam approaches. Sam is silent, and Dean looks away again.

"Salt lines are holding up," Sam says after a second.

"We're safe for now," Dean says.

"Yeah, safe. Or trapped like rats," Sam replies.

Dean turns to him. "Hey, you heard Meg. Her father's here. This is our one shot Sammy, we gotta take it no matter what." He turns back to the radio again.

"Sam, some help here please?" Ellen says shakily, and Sam heads over.

Bobby's trying to call the boys, but he can't reach them, there's no signal. "Dammit, boys!" he curses. Just then he hears something. He looks up, searching for the source. It's his radio. He hurries over.

"KC5, Fox Delta Oscar, go ahead," he says into the mic.

"Bobby, it's Dean. We got problems." Bobby looks at the ceiling for a moment thankfully. "It's okay boy. That's why I'm here. Is everyone alright?"

"No. No. It's Jo. Bobby, it's pretty bad," Dean replies shakily.

Bobby shakes his head. "Okay. Copy that. So now we figure out what we do next."

"Bobby, I don't think she's..." Dean stops, he can't say it.

"I said, what do we do next, Dean," Bobby says firmly.

Dean fights to pull himself together. "Right. Okay. Right."

"Now. Tell me what you got," Bobby says.

"Before he went missing, did Cas say how many Reapers?" Bobby asks after Dean has filled him in.

"I dunno. He said a lot of things I guess. Kayla says that she can feel them everywhere, as well. I mean, does the number matter?" Dean replies.

"Devil's in the details, Dean," Bobby says. Ellen walks up beside Dean and taps his shoulder, and he holds out the mic to her.

"Bobby, it's Ellen. The way he was looking – the number of places Castiel's eyes went – I'd say we're talking over a dozen Reapers. Probably more."

Bobby rubs his head. "I do not like the sound of that."

"Nobody likes the sound of that, Bobby, but what – what does that sound like?" Dean asks.

"It sounds like Death, son," Bobby replies. "I think Satan's in town to work a ritual. I think he's planning to unleash Death."

"You mean like as in this dude and taxes are the only sure thing?" Dean asks.

"As in Death, the horseman – the pale rider in the flesh," Bobby says.

"Unleash? I mean, hasn't Death been tromping all over the place? I mean hell, I've died several times myself," Dean reminds him.

"Not this guy. This is the angel of Death," Bobby tells him. "Big Daddy Reaper. They keep this guy chained in a box six hundred feet under. Last time they hauled him up, Noah was building a boat. That's why the place is crawling with Reapers – they're waiting on the big boss to show."

"Do you have any other good news?" Dean asks uneasily.

"Well in a manner of speaking," Bobby says. "I've been researching Carthage since you've been gone, trying to suss out what the Devil might want there. What you just said drops the last piece of the puzzle in place. The angel of Death must be brought into this world, at midnight, in a place of awful carnage. Now back during the Civil War, there was a battle in Carthage. A battle so intense that the soldiers called it the Battle of Hell Hole."

"Where'd the massacre go down?" Dean asks.

"On the land of William Jasper's farm," Bobby replies.

"So now we know where the Devil's gonna be. We know when, and we have the Colt," Dean is saying to Sam. Ellen and Kayla are sitting with Jo nearby.

"Yeah. We just have to get past eight or so hellhounds, and get to the farm by midnight," Sam says.

"Yeah, and that's after we get Jo and Ellen the hell out of town," Dean adds.

Sam shakes his head. "Won't be easy."

"Stretcher?" Dean asks.

"Let's see what we got," Sam replies.

"Stop," Jo says weakly, and they turn to her. "Guys, stop. Can we be realistic about this please?" The boys walk over slowly. "I can't move my legs," Jo says. "I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an ace bandage. We gotta get out priorities straight here." The boys glance at each other. "Number one, I'm not going anywhere," Jo begins.

"Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that," Ellen says quickly. Kayla shakes her head, silently backing Ellen up.

"Mom. I can't fight," Jo cuts in. "I can't walk. But I can do something. We've got propane, wiring, rock salt. Iron nails, everything we need."

"Everything we need?" Kayla repeats.

"To build a bomb, Kayla," Jo says.

"No. Jo, no," Dean says immediately.

"You got another plan?" Jo asks weakly. "You got any other plan? Those are hellhounds out there, Dean. They've got all of our scents. Those bitches will never stop coming after you." They're all silent for a long moment. "We let the dogs in. You guys hit the roof. Make a break for the building next over, and I can wait here, with my finger on the button," she goes on. "Rip those mutts a new one. Or at least get you a few minutes headstart, anyway."

Ellen's eyes fill up with tears. "No, I won't let you."

"This is why we're here, right?" Jo reminds her. "If I can get us a shot on the Devil... Dean, we have to take it."

"No!" Ellen says desperately. "That's not..."

"Mom," Jo cuts her off, starting to cry too. "This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. You might wanna take it." Ellen breaks down and cries for only a few moments, then pulls herself together and looks back at the boys and Kayla.

"You heard her. Get to work."

Together the boys and Ellen build the bombs and the trigger while Kayla sits with Jo.

"I don't want you to die, Jo," she whispers to her.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll see each other again when you angel up," she whispers back.

"You've been a good friend Jo. It's been nice to be able to talk to someone these past few days. What with everyone planning on killing my brother and all," Kayla tells her, tears streaming down her face.

"It was nice knowing you too, Kayla," Jo says, wiping away Kayla's tears. "Look after them, Kayla."

"I will," she nods. The two girls hug, crying into each other's shoulders.

When they're all set up, Sam squeezes Jo's hand for a moment, then stands up and leaves. "Bye Jo," Kayla whispers, having already said her goodbye. She then turns and walks out after Sam. Dean crouches beside her. "Okay, this is it. I'll see you on the other side." She smiles tearfully. "Probably sooner than later," Dean adds.

"Make it later," she replies weakly. Dean slowly puts the detonator in her hand, then looks at her sadly. He leans forward and kisses her forehead, then kisses her on the lips.

"Okay," he whispers, standing up. Ellen crouches beside her daughter and takes her hand, smiling slightly.

"Mom, no," Jo says.

"Somebody's gotta let them in," Ellen replies calmly. "And like you said, you're not moving. You got me, Jo." Tears streak down Jo's cheeks as she smiles. "And you're right," Ellen goes on, "This is important. But I will not leave you here alone."

"Dean," Sam says quietly.

"Get going now, kids," Ellen says.

"Ellen," Kayla whispers, crying again.

"I said go," Ellen says again. "And Dean? Kick it in the ass. Don't miss." The trio leave silently.

Outside, Sam, Dean and Kayla go down the fire escape.

The building explodes.

The trio look back, horrified even though they knew it was coming, and then they run.

They hide in the bushes, looking out at a crowd of people. "I guess we know what happened to some of the town's people," Dean comments. The people are all watching Lucifer, who is digging.

"Okay," Sam says. "Last words?"

Dean looks at him. "I think I'm good."

Sam nods. "Yeah. Me too."

"You're like the brothers I don't remember and despite everything that has happened, I'm glad that I met you," Kayla says, staring at Lucifer. They look down at her and then look at each.

"Here goes nothing," Dean says finally. They head out.

"Hey!" Sam shouts. Lucifer looks up from his digging. Sam walks up to him, holding a shotgun with Kayla standing directly behind him. "You wanted to see me?"

"Well Sam, you don't need that gun here," Lucifer replies. "You know I'd never hurt you. Not really."

Dean, suddenly at Lucifer's left, aims the Colt at his head. "Yeah? Well I'd hurt you. So suck it." He fires. Lucifer falls to the ground. The boys exchange hopeful glances as Kayla looks at the body in horror. But then Lucifer takes a breath and starts to get up.

"Owww!" He stands. "Where did you get that?" He backhands Dean in the face, sending him flying into a tree. He doesn't get up. Sam gapes in horror as the wound in Lucifer's head closes up and disappears. "Now. Where were we?"

"Don't feel too bad, Sam. There's only six things in all of creation that that gun can't kill, and I just happen to be one of them. Another one is standing behind you. But if you give me a minute? I'm almost done." He goes back to digging, and Sam crosses to where Dean is laying and checks on him. Kayla stays where she is, staring at Lucifer intently. "You know," Lucifer says, "I don't suppose you'd just say yes here and now... end this whole tiresome discussion. That's crazy, right?"

"It's never gonna happen," Sam snaps loudly, standing up.

"Oh I dunno, Sam. I think it will," Lucifer says, going back to his work. "I think it'll happen soon. In six months. And I think it'll happen in Detroit."

"You listen to me, you son of a bitch," Sam says. "I'm gonna kill you myself! You understand me? I'm going to rip your heart out!"

"That's good, Sam. You keep fanning that fire in your belly," Lucifer says calmly. "All that pent up rage? I'm gonna need it."

Sam glances at the people standing, watching, completely still. "What did you do?" he asks. "What did you do this town?"

"Oh I was very generous with this town," Lucifer replies. "One demon for every able-bodied man."

"And the rest of them?" Sam asks. Lucifer chuckles and points at the hole he's filling in. "In there. I know, it's awful. But these horsemen are so demanding. So it was women and children first."

"Children!" Kayla growls, Lucifer looks over at her with an apologetic expression.

He leans on the shovel. "I know what you must think of me, Sam. But I have to do this. I have to. You of all people should understand."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asks. Lucifer puts down the shovel and walks closer.

"I was a son. A brother. Like you. A younger brother. And I had an older brother who I loved. Idolized, in fact. And one day I went to him, and I begged him to stand with me. And Michael – Michael turned on me. Called me a freak. A monster. And then he beat me down. All because I was different. Because I had a mind of my own. Tell me something, Sam. Any of this sound familiar?" Sam doesn't reply. "Anyway. You'll have to excuse me. Midnight is calling. And I have a ritual to finish. Don't go anywhere. Not that you could if you would."

Sam turns back to Dean as Lucifer raises his hands above the grave and begins to chant. He then turns to the crowd of people watching. He looks at Kayla and indicates that she should move. She moves to the side but stays away from Sam and Dean. "Now repeat after me. We offer up our lives, blood, souls..." Dean starts to wake up as the people repeat the words and leans back against the tree, panting. "To complete this tribute," Lucifer goes on. One by one, the people fall down dead. Lucifer looks over at Sam, who's staring in horror. "What? They're just demons."

The ground starts to shake as Lucifer stands with his hands raised before the mass grave. The boys watch in horror. Castiel appears beside them suddenly, holding a finger to his lips. A moment later, there's a bright light. Lucifer looks over, and they're gone. He smiles and goes to turn back to the grave before noticing Kayla, who is still there. "I'll be with you in a minute," he tells her before turning to the grave. Something huge is rising out of the ground, it towers above Lucifer. "Oh hello Death," Lucifer says. The presence disappears. Lucifer turns around and walks over to Kayla. He tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear. "It's good to see you again, little one," he says gently.

She looks up at him, her eyes wide, "Who was I?"

Lucifer sighs, "You don't know. You were the youngest of the archangels when you fell. You always favoured those who were younger and innocent, even if they were human."

Kayla looks him in the eye, tears glistening in her own. "Why don't I want you dead?" she asks, her voice breaking.

"I looked after you. I was always your favourite, along with Gabriel. We looked after you."

"That's why I went mad with grief when you fell," she realised. "That's why I ripped out my grace." He nods, pulling her into a hug.

"I will never hurt you, or allow anyone else to, but I have to do this. I have to destroy humanity. I have to fight Michael."

Kayla nods, but before she can reply she disappears. The next thing she sees is Cas standing in front of her, a worried expression on his face. "I'm fine," she tells him.

"No, you're not," he pulls her into a hug, allowing her to cry into his chest.

"We've just received an update that the governor has declared a state of emergency for Palding County, including the towns of Marion, Federville, and Carthage," a reporter is saying on the television. "The storm system has reportedly touched down several tornadoes in the area." Bobby, Dean, Sam and Kayla are all standing by the fire. Bobby is holding the photo of all of them they took before they left. He puts it in the fire, and they watch as it slowly burns to ash.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 Rewritten-

It has been two weeks since Jo and Ellen's deaths. Two weeks since the failed attempt on Lucifer's life. Kayla's sitting in a motel room while Sam and Dean are out hunting. The boys have decided that she should remain behind after she had hurt her ankle on a previous hunt and it hasn't fully healed yet. She is sitting on one of the beds reading a Supernatural book. Her phone is lying on the bed next to her. She is reading a part where Sam and Dean are getting their asses kicked when she gets a text. She looks at her phone, confused, before she read it.

'_Hey baby sis, how ya doin?' _

"What the hell?" she says before replying. _'Who is this?'_

'_It's ur big brother,' _the reply is instantaneous.

"Oh no!" Kayla groans before texting back, _'Which one?'_

'_It's not exactly gonna be Lucifer, is it?'_

Kayla laughs before replying, _'Good point. So who the hell are you then?'_

'_Gabriel, of course.'_

'_Oh no! That's even worse! :D' _Kayla grins as she types.

'_I told you I was your favourite.'_

'_You did? When?'_

'_Ha-ha! Where are you?'_

'_Why should I tell you?'_

'_Just answer the question kiddo.'_

'_Fine! Lucky Davies Motel, Knightsbride, Colorado. Why?'_

She doesn't get her answer in the form of a text. Instead, she gets her answer in the form of a smug archangel sitting next to her on the bed. Kayla shrieks and almost falls off the bed, but Gabriel catches her and pulls her back up. "So," he starts, lying back so he is next to Kayla. "I heard that you met Lucifer." Kayla nods. "How was he?" Gabriel asks.

"He was... kinder than I expected. He seemed to genuinely care for me."

Gabriel nods, "He does, you were always his favourite."

"I was?" Kayla asks, looking confused.

"Yep," Gabriel says, popping the 'p'. "Oh! I know, let's go somewhere."

"No!" Kayla yells immediately. "Last time you took me somewhere, it was TV land."

"Oh, come on. Stop being boring," Gabriel whines.

"No! Gabriel stop or I'll call Cas," Kayla threatens, holding up her phone and getting off the bed. Gabriel also gets off the bed and walks toward her. Kayla quickly dials, "Cas? Help! Lucky Davies Motel, Knightsbridge, Colorado!" Her last word turns into a shriek as Gabriel tackles and they fall on the bed. Gabriel pins her down and tickles her.

"No! No! Stop!" she shrieks. "Please."

"What's going on here?" Castiel asks, appearing in the room. Gabriel stops tickling Kayla, but continues holding her down.

"Hey bro, what you doing?" Gabriel grins.

Cas rolls his eyes, "Get off her." Gabriel complies and gets off Kayla.

"Are you alright Kayla?" Cas asks gently, walking over and helping her sit up. Kayla shakes her head, trying to catch her breath after laughing so hard. Cas pulls her closer to him and glares at Gabriel. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm just visiting my baby sister, it's not against the rules is it?" Gabriel replies, smirking.

"Cas," Kayla whispers, looking up at him. "I think I've hurt my ankle again."

"Kayla," Cas sigh, shaking his head.

"It's all his fault," Kayla accuses, pointing at Gabriel and pouting. Gabriel sighs and walks over to her. He bends down and gently pulls her leg over. He gently feels around before putting it back on the bed.

"It's not broken, just badly sprained. Do you want me to heal it?" Gabriel says.

Kayla shakes her head, "What will I tell Sam and Dean? 'Cause y'know they totally hate you."

Gabriel grins, "I've gotta go, kiddo. See you later." He pulls her down for a hug before disappearing.

"That was short," Kayla remarks before turning to Cas, "Are you gonna stay?"

"Yes," he replies. He picks her up and pulls back the covers on the bed. He lays her down and covers her back up. He then lies down on top of the covers and pulls her close. She snuggles into him and lays her head on his chest. Soon she is fast asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Rewritten-

In Glenwood Springs Psychiatric Hospital a doctor is sitting at his desk, looking at a file. He looks up to see Sam, Dean and Kayla sitting in front of him.

"You were referred to me by a Dr. Babar in Chicago," the doctor says.

"That's right," Sam nods. "Isn't there a children's book about an elephant named Babar?" the doctor asks.

"I don't know," Dean says. "I don't have any elephant books. Look doctor, I think the doctor was in over his head with this one." He points at Sam. "Cause my brother's..." He whistles and makes circles with his finger.

"Okay fine, thank you, that's really not necessary," the doctor interrupts. "Why don't you tell me how you're feeling, Alex?"

"I'm fine," Sam says, smiling. "I mean, okay, a little depressed, I guess."

"Alright – any idea why?" the doc asks.

"Probably because I started the apocalypse," Sam replies.

"The apocalypse?" the doc repeats.

"Yeah. That's right," Sam says.

"And you think you started it," the doc says with a smile.

"Well yeah. I mean, I killed this demon – Lillith – and I accidentally freed Lucifer from Hell. So now he's topside, and we're trying to stop him," Sam explains calmly.

"Who is?" the doc asks.

"Me. Him. Her. And this one angel," Sam says as Dean looks on, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, you mean like an angel on your shoulder," the doc says.

"No no. His name's Castiel. He wears a trench coat," Sam replies.

"He's my big brother," Kayla interrupts proudly.

"An angel is your brother," the doc asks. Kayla nods. "So you're an angel?"

"Yeah. Well, no. I mean, I'm a fallen archangel. I ripped out my grace and fell from Heaven after my oldest brother Michael sent one of my favourite brothers- Lucifer- to hell," Kayla explains, then smiles.

"See what I mean, doc? I mean the kid's been beating himself up about this for months and the poor girl is having family problems, what with them trying to kill each other all the time," Dean cuts in. "The apocalypse wasn't his fault."

"It's not?" the doc says, looking at Dean.

"No. There was this other demon, Ruby? She had him addicted to demon blood, and near the end he was practically chugging the stuff. My brother's not evil. He was just... high. Oh, and he had her douche of an older brother manipulating him, me as well actually. So, could you fix him up so we could get back to travelling around the country and hunting monsters?"

The doctor smiles weakly, then picks up his phone. "Urma? Cancel my lunch."

"Dr. Fuller would like to keep you both under observation for a couple of days," a young nurse tells the trio as they walk down the hall of the hospital.

"All three of us? Me too?" Dean says.

"Yes sugar. The doctor thinks that would be best," she says cheerfully. The trio smile at each other triumphantly.

Dean, wearing the patient's blue robe, pants, and brown slippers, is waiting. Sam and Kayla walk over a second later, wearing the same.

"Did the nurse...?" Sam begins.

"She was very thorough," Dean interrupts.

"Yeah, good, good," Sam says quickly.

"She didn't do that to me," Kayla grins, looking smug.

"How come?" Dean moans.

"Someone up there loves me," she grins. Dean shakes his head and looks around the room at all the patients.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

"Hey, it's the least we could do," Sam says. "Martin saved Dad's ass more times than we can count. He's a great hunter."

"Was," Dean corrects. "Until Albuquerque."

"Besides, I just figure it's better we keep busy, that's all," Sam adds.

"Better than what?" Dean asks.

"Nothing," Sam says quickly. "Okay look. Last few weeks, you've kinda been worrying me."

"Oh come on Sam, stop. Look, just because we're in the loony bin doesn't give you the right to head shrink me."

"Dean," Sam begins.

"Ellen and Jo dying – yeah, it was a frickin' tragedy, okay? But I'm not gonna wallow in it," Dean cuts in. At the mention of Ellen and Jo's names, Kayla looks down.

"Dean, you always do this," Sam says. "You can't just keep this crap in."

Dean laughs humourlessly. "Watch me." He looks away. "Oh, there he is." The boys head over to a man sitting by the window, Kayla following.

Dean clears his throat. The man looks up, then grins. "Sam! Dean! Wow! Wow, you boys got big! You look good."

Sam smiles. "Thanks. You do too, Martin."

"Well, thanks for coming," Martin says, then motions at them to sit down. "In the old days, I could've taken care of this thing with both hands tied behind my back," he begins. "But, well... now..."

"What do you think it is that we're hunting?" Sam asks quickly.

"I don't know yet," Martin admits. "A – a ghost? Demon? Monster... animal, vegetable, mineral?" He laughs. "Hospital's had five deaths in the last four months. Doctors keep calling it suicides. But they're wrong."

"So you've seen this thing?" Sam asks. Martin shakes his head.

"Has anyone seen this thing?" Kayla asks. Martin glances up at her and scrunches his eyebrows in confusion. "I'm Kayla."

He nods and replies, "Well, a couple of patients have had glimpses, but it's not a lot to go on."

"Are they reliable?" Dean asks.

"Oh sure. Why wouldn't they be?" Martin asks. Dean looks up as a woman dances by, humming, by herself.

"Gee, I dunno."

"I know you kids think I'm a bag of loose screws," Martin begins, "Well, you wouldn't be wrong. But I wouldn't have called you unless there was something here. I can feel it in my gut."

Sam nods. "We believe you. Have you checked any of the bodies? Find signs of an attack?"

"Well, uh, no. I don't go around d-dead bodies anymore," Martin says.

"Alex? Eddy? Lucy?" Dr. Fuller walks up behind them. "Well I'm glad to see you're making friends. Why don't you and Mr. Creasor join up for group? Please. Right this way." Dean starts to get up too, but Fuller stops him. "Actually I'm going to be putting you in the afternoon group."

"Wha -? Why?" Dean asks.

"Well, to be frank, the relationship you have with your brother seems dangerously co-dependent. I think a little time apart will do you both good," Fuller says, smiling. The trio shrug at each other, slightly annoyed.

"Alright, so who would like to start us off?" Fuller asks. He, Sam, Kayla and Martin are all sitting in a circle of other patients. The man who saw Susan get killed raises his hand immediately. Fuller looks away. "Anyone else?" The man starts to hum a little as he keeps his hand in the air. "Alright, Ted," Fuller says finally. "Calm down."

"I am calm," Ted says. "And I'd very calmly like to talk about the monster that's hunting us."

"Monster, monster," Kayla giggles, bouncing on her chair.

"Lucy, calm down. Ted, we're not going to have this discussion again," Fuller says firmly. "It's not good for group."

"I agree," Ted says. "You know what else isn't good for group? A monster eating all our faces off!"

"Alright fine, thank you. Now, anyone else?" Fuller asks.

"I saw it, when it killed Susan," Ted says loudly.

"I did too," a blond woman says. "It had big lobster claws."

"No it didn't," Ted snaps.

"Yeah, and it was an alien? Like on X-Files," the woman goes on.

"Stop it!" Ted yells. "Stop helping! Listen to me. We're all dead!"

"I don't wanna die," Kayla pouts.

"That's enough," Fuller says loudly. "There is no monster. Lucy, you're not going to die. Now Ted, do you need me to call the orderlies? Or can you behave?"

Ted nods. "Behave." Sam and Martin exchange glances.

Dean is walking down the hall looking grumpy. Sam and Kayla walk out of a room nearby. "Dean, hey. You okay?" Kayla asks, bouncing on her feet.

"Well I just got thraped. So no, I am not okay," Dean says. "Tell me you found something."

"Yeah. Guy says he saw the creature," Sam replies. "We should talk to him. Wanna meet back here in an hour?"

"Yeah, sooner we take care of this thing, sooner we can get gone. This place gives me the creeps," Dean says. He turns around to see a young woman standing behind him. She steps forward and kisses him.

"Hi. I'm Wendy." She walks by and smacks him on the butt.

"Maybe this place isn't so bad after all," Dean comments.

"Dude. You cannot hit that," Sam says.

"Oh, so torn," Dean says.

Sam joins Dean and Kayla in the hall later. "Well it's about time. Nurses on their rounds. Where is this guy?" Dean asks.

"Room 306," Sam replies.

As the trio round the corner, they hear screams. They run to room 306, and Sam begins to pick the lock. The man's feet hit the window all of a sudden as the screaming continues. "Hurry up! Come on, hurry up!" Dean says.

"Back off,Dean!" Sam snaps angrily. He finishes picking the lock and they open the door to see Ted, hung by his neck from a ceiling pipe. He's dead. Kayla gasps and turns around.

The trio pull out Ted's body on its metal slab. They start to inspect the body. Sam notices a strange mark on the side of his head.

"Hey," he says. "Hey, I found something."

"What've you got?" Dean asks. Sam shows him – there's a hole on the side of Ted's neck. He sticks a cue tip into the hole, and it keeps going in.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Kayla moans and turns around.

"This hole goes all the way through to his brain!" Sam says.

"What does that mean?" Dean wonders. Sam notices a small medical saw on the table. "Let's find out."

"Seriously?" Dean says. "You might wanna keep watch," Sam suggests.

Dean and Kayla stand outside the morgue in the hallway, flinching as they hear the saw start up.

Sam pulls off the top of Ted's skull, and pulls out his brain. It's black and hard. Dean hears a door open somewhere down the hall, and goes inside the morgue, dragging a protesting Kayla with him. "Dude!" "Look! His brain's been sucked dry!" Sam says, holding it up.

"Fascinating. Somebody's coming," Dean says. Sam quickly puts the man's skull back on, and they cover up the body and put it away. The young nurse who did the check up on them when they arrived walks in a second later.

"What're you three doing in here?" she asks, smiling. Sam laughs weakly. Dean pulls down his pants and sticks his arms in the air.

"Pudding!" he says, grinning.

"My eyes!" Kayla screams, covering her eyes.

"Alright. Come on you three," she says. Dean pulls up his pants and glances back at Sam.

"Crazy works," he whispers.

Back out with Martin, Sam explains what they've found out. "So whatever this thing, it slurpees your brain. Sucks you dry."

"Yeah, and then it makes the deaths look like suicides," Dean adds.

"Any ideas?" Martin thinks a second. "Yeah. A bad one."

They all look at a drawing from Martin's journal of a very ugly creature with straggly hair and lots of sharp teeth.

"What is it?" Dean asks.

"Well I'd bet you a chicken dinner it's what we're up against," Martin replies. "A wraith." Sam looks at him quickly. "They crack open skulls and feed on brain juice," Martin goes on.

"Ewwww, gross," Kayla whines, before bouncing round the boys in a circle.

"You ever tangle with one before?" Sam asks.

"Never," Martin says. "Never wanted to, neither."

"So how do we kill it?" Dean asks.

"Silver – you so much as touch a wraith with the stuff, and the skin will crackle. Now that's the good news. The bad news is – they can pass as humans. It could be any Peter, Paul, and Mary in the joint."

"Fantastic. So how do we find it?" Dean asks.

"A mirror," Martin says. "Lore says a wraith will show it's true form in a mirror."

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the wraithiest of them all," Kayla giggles, still bouncing.

"Okay. So we just gotta spot check every patient and every staff member," Dean says.

"Okay. Yeah. But – I mean, what's it doing in a mental hospital?" Sam wonders.

"Nuthouses – it's a perfect captive victim pool," Dean replies.

"Sure – who's gonna believe a patient when they say they saw a monster?" Martin agrees. "It's the perfect hunting ground."

"Dude, have you noticed anything different with Kayla?" Dean whispers to Sam, while watching Kayla bounce off.

"Yeah, she's been acting, well she's been acting crazy," Sam replies. the boys look at each other, worried.

Sam walks down the hall toward Dean, Martin and Kayla. "Alright. I had to raid three nurses' stations to get these. They're only silver plated – they should work. But there's only three." He holds up some scalpels. They look up to see Wendy approaching.

"Oh no no, not today sweetheart. Come on, keep walking," Dean says, but she walks right by him and pushes Sam against the wall, kissing him. She strokes his chest and looks at Dean.

"I want him now. He's larger." She walks away.

"Hmm," says Dean. "You've had worse." Sam gives him a look. "Fuller is on call tonight, so we'll have to hit him after lights out. All three of us."

"What?" Martin gapes. "No!"

"Martin? We've gotta get past the security, past the orderlies, and then cut the boss man's throat, okay? It's gonna suck start to finish, but we could use the backup," Dean says.

"I can't!" Martin says desperately. "I can't." He starts to walk away.

"We know what happened in Albuquerque," Sam says before he leaves.

Martin freezes. "You don't know the half of it." He turns back. "God, I used to be just like you two. I used to think I was invincible. And then... I found out I'm not."

"Martin, you are still a hunter," Dean says firmly.

"No, I'm not!" Martin says. "I'm useless! Why do you think I checked myself into the Hotel California? I'd give anything to help you boys – I would – but I can't. I'm sorry. I can't." He walks away.

"What about me?" Kayla asks, looking up at the brothers.

"You are going to do something really important," Dean tells her.

"Oh, goody!" she squeals, bouncing up and down.

Dean puts his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to sat still, "You are going to go back to your room and stay there. No arguments." Kayla pouts but bounces back to her room. She decides to spend the next day having fun.

Fuller leaves the room and runs into Kayla, who is cartwheeling down the hall. "Hey doc," she grins, stopping in front of him.

"Hello Lucy," Fuller greets her.

"Bye Doc," Kayla says before continuing to cartwheel down the corridor.

"Keep an eye on her," he tells one of the orderlies before walking away.

After discovering that both Sam and Dean have gone crazy, Kayla is forced to go back to her room by Martin.

Kayla is kneeling by her bed praying,

"Lord, keep us safe this night,

Secure from all our fears.

May angels guard us while we sleep,

Till morning light appears."

When Kayla looks up she see's Lucifer lying on her bed. "Are you real?" she asks, tilting her head to the side. "Or are you a hallucination?"

"I'm real," he says, frowning. "Why?"

"There's a wraith haunting the hospital, it's making everyone hallucinate," she explains. "How did you get here?"

"I was crossing through the area when I felt an unusual energy signature. It must have been you," he tells her.

"Oh, cool," she nods. Lucifer pats the bed beside him, indicating that she should lie down next to him. She stares at him for a minute before climbing on the bed and cuddling up to him. He wraps an arm around her.

"It's good to see you again little sister," he whispers.

"It's good to see you too, big brother," she whispers back. He smiles and kisses the top of her head.

"You always could make me into a big softie." At this Kayla smirks sleepily. "Go to sleep little one, I'll wake you up later." She nods and slowly drifts off to sleep.

The boys burst out of the hospital and sprint across the lawn, soon coming across the Impala, which is parked not far away. "Looks like Tom Cruise was right – shrinks suck," Dean comments. Sam stops walking and looks thoughtful. "What're you doing?" Dean asks. "Sam, you okay?"

Sam frowns. "No. No, the wraith..."

"What about her?" Dean asks.

"She was right," Sam begins.

"No, she wasn't," Dean interrupts. "She's dead, okay? Let's hit the road. I need a drink – or twelve."

"Most of the time I can hide it," Sam goes on anyway. "But I am angry. I'm mad at everything! I used to be mad at you and Dad, then Lillith, now it's Lucifer, and I make excuses, I blame Ruby, or the demon blood but... but it's not their fault! It's not them, it's me! It's inside me. I am mad, all the time! And I don't know why."

Dean looks at him for a long moment. "Stop. Stop it. So what if you are? What're you gonna do, are you gonna take a leave of absence? You're gonna say yes to Lucifer? What?"

"No, of course not, I..." Sam tries.

"Exactly," Dean cuts in. "And that's exactly what you're gonna do. You're gonna take all that crap, and you're gonna bury it. You're gonna forget about it. Because that's how we keep going. That's how we don't end up like Martin. Are you with me? Come on man, are you with me?"

"I'm with you," Sam says after a second.

"Good," Dean says.

"Hang on a minute, where's Kayla?" Sam asks, looking around.

The boys look at each other and groan. They start to walk back towards the hospital when she appears in Sam's arms. He staggers under the sudden weight, but soon rightens himself. A note appears on top of her, it says, 'Look after her boys. I don't want to have to come after you. Signed Lucifer, her big brother'. Sam and Dean stare at each other and then at Kayla. They walk towards the impala and Sam gently lays Kayla in the backseat, before covering her up with a blanket from the trunk.

"Let's get the hell outta here," Dean says before they drive off.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Rewritten-

The Impala pulls up in front of a nice white house. "Are you going to be alright Kayla?"Dean asks, turning around. Kayla is lying on the backseat, holding her stomach. She groans and shakes her head. "I'll leave the doors unlocked," Dean says, getting out of the impala.

"I hate wraiths!" the boys hear Kayla groan.

"I guess the wraith poison doesn't agree with fallen archangel's," Sam says, wincing at the sound of Kayla retching.

"Dean and Sammy Winchester." A blond woman is sitting on her couch, and beside her is her teenage daughter. Dean and Sam sit across from them. "So how long has it been?" the woman asks.

"Summer before sixth grade," Sam replies.

"Mmm. I remember. You assigned yourself your own reading list," the woman says.

"That's right, I forgot about that," Dean chuckles.

"Your mom happens to be the best babysitter we ever had," Sam says to her daughter.

"When I was a maid, at the Mayflower, out on the interstate?" the woman explains to her daughter, "Long before you were even an idea – their daddy used to pass through town, and leave the boys with me while he went off to... work. One time he was gone for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" the girl repeats.

"Mmmhmm. Oh, he always came limping back," her mom says. "He loved you boys."

"Do you know what he did all that time?" the girl asks.

"Little Sammy kept trying to tell me," her mom says, "Of course I didn't believe him. Not at first, anyway."

"Katie, our Dad happened to be an expert at getting rid of ghosts," Sam explains. "And now... so are we."

"That's why I called them, sweetie. They can help us," her mom says, patting Katie's arm. Her dad comes in behind the boys.

"Sounds like you guys got yourselves a poltergeist," Dean says.

"Started a month or two after we moved in," the dad says.

"Yeah – first it was just bumps and knocks and scratches on the walls," the mom adds, "and then it started breaking things."

"And then it attacked Katie?" Sam says.

"That was two nights ago," the dad says.

"Can you show them, honey?" her mom asks. Katie stands up and pulls up her shirt – the words "Murderd chylde" are cut into her stomach.

"Murdered child," Sam reads.

"Katie. Everything's going to be fine," Dean says, leaning forward. "I promise. Why don't you guys take yourselves a little vacation... and we'll take care of it."

"Thank you," the mom says.

Dean is at the counter, ordering, while Sam and Kayla are already sitting. A dark haired boy walks up with a tray. "Bacon Burger Turbo, large Chili Cheese Fries, and a Health Quick Salad Shake," he says, giving Dean a strange look.

"I know, I know. It's uh – it's not mine," Dean quickly explains, and takes the tray to their table.

"You sure you don't want anything Kayla?" Dean asks.

"I'm sure Dean," Kayla groans, looking at him. She looks extremely pale with a light sheen of sweat covering her face. Dark rings surround her eyes, as though she hasn't slept in days, which she hasn't.

"I'm fine Dean," she smiles weakly.

"You look it," Dean snorts and goes back to dishing up food. Sam flips open his laptop and takes the fork that Dean offers him. He pours salad dressing into the cup, and then begins to shake it. Dean and Kayla watch him, Kayla starting to turn slightly green, until Sam looks up. "Oh you shake it up, baby," Dean says. Sam doesn't bother to answer. Suddenly, Kayla jumps up and runs for the toilets.

"Poor kid," Dean mutters. "Hey, poltergeist aside, Donna looked pretty good, don't you think?" Dean says.

"Dude. Don't tell me you still got the hots for our babysitter," Sam replies.

"What? No," Dean says immediately. "That's weird. I'm just saying, she's doing good. With her husband, her kid... this whole Amityville thing being thrown at them and they're hanging tough."

Sam shrugs. "Yeah."

"You ever think that you'd want something like that?" Dean asks after a second. "Wife – rugrats – the whole nine?"

Sam shakes his head. "No. Not really my thing anymore."

Dean nods. "Yeah. What've you got?"

"Uh, well that house of theirs, it's old – really old – hundreds of years. I found a legend – it's unconfirmed – but still. Supposedly in the 1720s the house was owned by a guy named Isaiah Pickett." He turns the laptop so Dean can see. "Legend has it he hung a woman in his backyard for witchcraft. A woman named Maggie Briggs."

"Okay, so an angry ghost witch," Dean says.

"If it's true," Sam replies. The boy at the counter is watching them intently with a slight smile on his face. "It still doesn't explain what 'murderd chylde' means," Sam goes on.

"Yeah," Dean says. "What about where the bitch is buried?"

"That's a long way back, but I can see if I can find something in the town records," Sam replies.

"It's worth a shot," Dean says as Kayla stumbles back to the table. She sits down and lays her head on the table, quietly groaning. Sam nods as the boy continues to watch him.

The kid from the burger joint is standing in front of the motel mirror, except in the mirror he looks like Sam. He flexes his arm muscles. "Oh yeah! Bring it! Holy crap." The door opens, and Dean walks in carrying a sleeping Kayla. "Sam! Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to call you for hours."

"I picked up some food," Gary says quickly, holding up the bag. "Bacon Burger Turbo? Large Chili Cheese Fry? Right?" Dean lays Kayla down on the bed and takes the bag, looking pacified.

"Sorry man. Really. I lost track of time," Gary says. "I didn't mean to freak you out."

Dean nods, looking surprised. "Thanks. I don't know why it took you two hours, but thanks." He starts to open the bag.

"Oh – you're gonna wanna eat that on the road," Gary says quickly.

"Why?" Dean asks.

"The maid came in, saw that, and now they're all kind of freaking out," Gary says, pointing at the guns laid out over the other bed. Dean gives him a look.

"Why'd you let the maid in?"

"It just happened," Gary says.

"Whatever. I gotta hit the head and then we'll take off," Dean replies after giving him a long look. "Don't worry about Kayla, I'll deal with her."

"Alright, I'll be outside," Gary says.

In the Impala, Gary takes out all the cellphones from the glovebox and throws them into the trashbin nearby. He waits in the car until Dean walks out of the motel room, supporting Kayla, who is now awake. He helps her into the backseat before getting in himself.

"Hey, you ready?" Dean asks.

"Absolutely," Gary says. "Hey, can I drive?" he asks suddenly. Dean looks surprised, but they switch places. Gary starts the car, revving the engine.

"Oh, this is so sweet!"

"You wanna get the lead out, Andretti? Come on," Dean says slightly irritably. Gary starts to move the car.

"Reverse," Dean says as the car starts to back up. "Reverse!" The Impala crashes into the garbage bin behind. Dean glares at Gary. "It's in reverse," he says, jaw clenched.

"I am really, really sorry," Gary says as he gets out of the car.

"Shut up," Dean snaps, heading for the driver's seat.

"Not helping guys," they hear Kayla moan as they get in. "Really not helping!"

They drive away.

"So uh, where are we going anyway?" Gary asks Dean as they walk. Kayla following at a distance.

"To work? The case?" Dean says.

"Oh right, the case. Of course," Gary says quickly. "Where do you wanna start?"

"Well, since you couldn't find where Maggie Briggs was buried, now we have to do an all day tombstone roll to see if we can dig her up," Dean replies grumpily.

"Wait – Maggie Briggs? You mean like the witch Maggie Briggs?" Gary asks as they approach the Impala.

"Yeah, Sherlock," Dean replies.

"She's in the basement," Gary says.

"Come again?" Dean says. "What basement?"

"Isaiah Pickett's house. Okay – there's this legend that he hung her, but he didn't. The real truth is, is that she was carrying his illegitimate child, and he killed her and then buried her in the basement," Gary explains.

Dean stares at him. "The murdered child. That would explain the scratches. How do you know all this?"

"Oh I've done all kinds of research on it," Gary says enthusiastically. "I mean – you know, last night."

Dean nods. "Oh. Yeah. Nice work. I guess." They get in the car. As Dean turns it on, Gary hears the song on the radio.

"Ah man, turn it up!" he says.

Dean stares. "Seriously?"

"Hell yeah!" Gary says. Dean turns it up, looking surprised. He winces when Kayla runs out of the car.

Dean and Gary head down the stairs, both holding guns. Kayla once again following them at a distance."Booya! Master Chief is in the house, bizzatches," Gary says, aiming his shotgun.

Dean turns around. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah! I'm fine," Gary says. Dean continues through the basement. "Well I'll be damned," he says, finding a patch of moss-covered ground. "Willow moss."

"Yeah, right, it's supposed to grow over witches' graves, right?" Gary says.

Dean looks at him. "Yeah."

Dean pulls out his shovel and starts digging as Gary watches. Gary lifts the shotgun and aims it at him, putting his finger on the trigger. "Hey man, I'm really sorry about this."

"Sorry about what?" Dean asks, not looking as he continues to uncover the skeleton. Kayla doesn't notice either as she is staring at the skeleton. Suddenly, Gary is thrown backwards. "Sam!" Dean yells, running for him.

He helps him up. "You okay?"

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Gary says.

"Whoa wait, we've still gotta burn the body, you idiot," Dean reminds him. "Come on!" Dean is suddenly thrown backward, Kayla following him, hitting her stomach. The witch's ghost appears. She heads right for Dean, but bursts into flames right as she reaches him. Dean stares, surprised. Gary is standing by the grave, smiling. The skeleton is on fire. "Dude. That was sweet," Gary says, grinning. Dean smiles weakly.

"I'm gonna be sick again," Kayla gasps, holding her stomach.

Gary, Dean and Kayla are sitting at a table, waiting. A waitress comes up and gives them their drinks. "Here you go, guys."

"You know what sweetheart, would you do me a favour and bring me a cheeseburger with extra bacon? Fry an egg on top of it, would you?" Dean says.

"Absolutely," she says.

"Alright – that sounds good. Ditto," Gary says.

"Nothing for me," Kayla says, smiling weakly.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Sam?" Dean asks.

"What do you mean?" Gary asks.

"Bacon cheeseburgers now?" Dean says.

"I dunno, I eat 'em, don't I?" Gary says. "Anyways, we are celebrating." He raises his shot glass. Dean looks confused, but he raises his too.

"Another one bites the dust. Nice work tonight."

"You too!" Gary says. "I had a really awesome day man. Seriously." He drinks. Dean stares for a moment, then drinks too.

"Really awesome day?" he repeats after.

"Yeah, why not?" Gary says.

"It was a random, D-list ghost hunt. That's awesome to you?" Dean asks.

Gary shrugs. "I can't be in a good mood?"

"Yeah, I guess," Dean says. Kayla looks at him surprised. Dean then says, "No, actually. That's not really your style, Sam."

"Well then, it's a new me," Gary says. "Why shouldn't I be happy? I got a gun – I'm getting drunk – and, I look like this." He points a finger at himself. Dean stares at him silently. "Ah, I dunno," Gary goes on. "You ever feel like your whole future is being decided for you?"

Dean blinks. "Uh, yeah Sam. I feel like that a lot."

"No matter how much you fight it, you can't stop the plan," Gary goes on. "The stupid, stupid plan. So I dunno. I guess it's nice to just do a little ass-kickin' for a change. That's all." He notices that Dean is still staring at him. "Uh, you know what? I'm drunk. Sorry, sorry. Just forget it."

"No, no," Dean says. "That's alright. It's uh... I'll drink to that." They drink. "Is it just me, or are we actually drinking together?" Dean comments.

"We don't do it that often huh?" Gary says. Dean laughs.

"You could say that."

"Well we should. You're a good guy, Dean," Gary says.

"You are drunk," Dean says, taking a drink of his beer. The waitress comes back with their cheeseburgers.

"No, but I mean it," Gary says. "You really are a good guy." Dean watches him, not saying anything. Gary takes a bite of his burger. "Mmm! The bread alone! Mmm!" Kayla stares at him.

Later, Dean and Kayla are sitting there alone. Dean looks around for Sam, and sees him sitting at the bar next to a blond woman. "Love that jacket on you by the way," she says to him.

"Thanks," Gary says. "Actually, the whole outfit is new." Dean watches in confusion as Gary leaves the bar with Crystal.

"We're gonna do it!" he says quietly. Dean blinks and looks suspicious.

"Something's wrong with Sam," Kayla tells him.

Sam wakes up tied to a chair. Trevor walks by him, putting a cellphone to his ear. The girl is standing nearby. "Hey!" Sam yells. "What the hell is going on?"

"Yell all you want, nobody can hear you my parents are out of town!" Trevor says loudly.

"Gary?" he says into the phone.

"T, what up?" Gary says. He's laying in a bed with animal-printed blankets, shirtless.

"Where are you?" Trevor asks.

"Uh, I can't really tell you right now? But man, you wouldn't believe it," Gary says.

"Well – where's Dean and Kayla?" Trevor asks.

"Uh, the Cloverleaf on Route 6," Gary says. "Why?"

"You mean you haven't killed Dean yet?" Trevor says.

"Whoa whoa – what? Kill Dean?" Sam says from behind him.

"Building up to it," Gary says.

"Gary, we've got problems here! For one, I'm looking at your body, right now. With this other dude in it!"

"What?" Gary says, shocked.

"Yeah! He's been in your house, he's hanging out with your parents!" Trevor says.

"Okay, just... calm down," Gary says. "Whatever he says, no one's gonna believe him, right? I mean, we're still good."

"Just hurry up and kill the son of a bitch and grab the fallen angel already, would you?" Trevor says.

"Don't rush me, I'll do it," Gary snaps.

"Yeah you better," Trevor says. The door opens in front of Gary, and he hangs up. Crystal walks in, wearing a dominatrix costume. She slaps a whip on her hand.

"Man, I am in way over my head," Gary mutters.

Sam struggles with the ropes, but he can't break them. "I don't think he's gonna do it," Trevor says to the girl.

"Just relax, this is Gary we're talking about," she says.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sam interrupts. "How do you know who Dean and Kayla are?"

"Everybody knows Dean and Kayla," Trevor says. "He's Hell's most wanted and she's the King of Hell's baby sister."

"Oh no," Sam says. "Have you idiots been talking to demons?"

"Oh right, we're the idiots," Trevor says defensively.

"You're just kids," Sam says. "You have no idea what you're messing with!"

"Well we know that there's a price on Dean's head, and we're the ones that are gonna collect," Trevor says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asks.

"About a month ago, we were down here..." the girl begins.

"Norah?" Trevor says.

"What? We're not allowed to talk about him?" she says. "We were down here goofing around with that book."

"Um, yeah I wouldn't exactly call praying to our dark overlord goofing around," Trevor says warningly.

"Don't be a loser, Trev," Norah says.

"Yeah, Trev," Sam says.

"Okay – all of a sudden, the lights flickered, and Gary went into this weird trance. He closed his eyes, picked up a pencil, and drew this." She holds out a piece of paper to Sam with a drawing of Dean on it. "And you know what's really weird?" Trevor adds. "Gary can't draw." "He said he heard a voice in his head," Norah goes on. "The demons were putting out a bounty on this guy."

"A bounty?" Sam repeats.

"Yeah. Like every witch or satanist across the whole country – like Gary. Gary's the one who spotted you," she says, smiling.

"And the freaky Friday crap?" Sam asks.

"Another spell from the book," Norah says. "Gary's idea. Go in Trojan Horse style. He's really smart."

"That is if he has the beanbags to go through with it," Trevor adds.

"You guys listen to me," Sam says firmly. "You are making a terrible mistake. We're talking about a demon deal. Killing somebody! This isn't a game! You're crossing a line you won't come back from. Believe me."

Norah is looking more and more scared. She turns to look at Trevor. "What?" Trevor says.

"Nothing. I..." she scratches her head nervously.

"Norah, don't tell me you're actually listening to this jerk," Trevor says.

"I don't know!" she says. "Maybe! I mean what if he has a point?"

"I can't believe this! First Gary, then you?" Trevor says. "I can't..." he stops. "You know what? Fine. You want something done right?" He walks over to the book.

"What, you're gonna go kill Dean yourself tough guy?" she says. He holds up the book, which is open to a picture of a skull with ram horns – above it it says 'demon summoning'.

"Don't have to. I can do this."

"Oh no, you can't be serious," she says.

"I'm calling up one of these bad boys, turning these punks over, and getting paid dollar dollar bills y'all!" Trevor says loudly.

"I really don't think that that's a good idea," Norah says.

"It's not. It's a very very bad idea," Sam says.

"No one asked you," Trevor snaps. He turns back to the altar behind him.

Gary walks into the motel room, sees Dean's shape in one of the beds with Kayla in the other. He picks up a gun off the chair and cocks it, aiming it at the shape in the bed. Suddenly, he senses something next to him. He turns, but it's too late. Dean grabs him and punches him in the face. "You're not Sam," he says dangerously. "Who the hell are you?"

"Ow," Gary says.

"Don't do this," Sam says as Trevor leans over the altar. "I'm begging you."

"Trevor, I think he's right," Norah says.

"Hey, you wanna get into Vassar, don't you?" Trevor says over his shoulder.

"Please, stop!" Sam says desperately. "You're gonna get us all killed!" Trevor begins speaking in Latin, sprinkling stuff on the altar. He finishes the summoning, and looks around. Nothing happens.

"Maybe I said it wrong," he muses. He looks back at Norah, but she's slumped on the ground.

"Norah?" he reaches for her.

"No no! Don't touch her!" Sam says.

"Norah, you okay?" Trevor says.

Her head whips around, her eyes are black. "Oh yeah... I'm peachy."

She stands up. "So whatcha call me here for, Skippy? Unless... it's dinner time?"

"What? Uh, no. It's... we have Dean Winchester and Kayla West," Trevor says quickly, backing away.

"You do?" she says, looking excited. "Where?"

"Trevor, keep your mouth shut," Sam warns.

"The Cloverleaf Motel over on Route 6," Trevor replies. Norah looks at Sam.

"Sam? Is that you in there?" She walks over, laughing. "Well aren't you just 98 pounds or nothing." She slaps the side of his face.

"The kid is a moron," Sam says. "He doesn't have any idea where Dean is."

She laughs. "So... if Sam's in this body... who's in Sam's?"

"A dangerous warlock," Trevor says. "Named Gary."

"You mean to tell me you've got Dean Winchester, a fallen angel and Sam Winchester's meat suit? An empty vessel just waiting to be filled." She smiles at Sam. "And you're handing them all over to me?"

"Uh, yeah I guess," Trevor says.

"Well," she says, walking over to Trevor. "I gotta hand it to you. I'm impressed."

"Thanks," Trevor says, somewhat nervously. "So if you don't mind my asking? There's a reward?"

"Sure," she says. "My undying gratitude." Trevor laughs, then stops.

"What, are you serious?"

"Be quiet, you idiot!" Sam says.

"Consider yourself lucky, kid," Norah says, turning away.

"Um, wait a minute!" Trevor says, and Norah stops. "We worked our asses off here, and I want my reward." She turns around.

"Please?" he says.

"Okay," she says, walking over. "I'm sorry. You're right. What can I get you?"

"Well, how about a million bucks?" he says.

"Trevor, just shut up and run!" Sam says.

"A million doesn't buy you much these days – why not make it ten?" she replies.

"Okay, ten million," Trevor laughs excitedly. "And I want... I want Mindy Schwartz to fall in love with me."

"Love, money... sticking to the basics. I can respect that," Norah says. "But here's my counter." She sticks her hand into his chest until blood runs out of his mouth and he falls down dead. She licks the blood from her hand. "Yum. Tastes like moron."

Dean is listening to his messages. "You have 38 new messages," the voice says. He hears Sam saying he's in the wrong body, and that Gary is not him. Dean looks at Gary. "Alright pal, either you start talking or I start waterboarding," he says. Kayla's standing next to him.

"Oh my God, please don't hurt me," Gary says. "Please I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!"

"Okay, pull it together champ," Dean says, patting him on the shoulder.

"I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!" Gary says.

"Where's Sam?" Dean asks.

"In my friend's basement, his parents are out of town," Gary explains.

"Parents. How old are you?" Kayla asks.

"Seventeen," Gary says.

"Seventeen," Dean repeats. Suddenly, he and Kayla are thrown backwards and hit their heads on the window. They pass out.

Gary turns to see Norah. "Norah?" he says.

She leans close, her eyes turning black. "Not at the moment."

Sam struggles, trying desperately to break the ropes. But in Gary's weaker body, he can't. "Dammit!"

Norah unties Gary. "Tell me – what is it you want? Anything."

"Anything?" he says.

"Lay it on me," she says.

"I wanna be a witch. For real. And really powerful," Gary says.

"Hmmm. Good choice," she smiles. "I get it. No Daddy, no MIT, no plan, you get to be big and strong and no one can tell you what to do anymore. There's just one small formality first. You gotta meet the boss."

"The boss?" Gary repeats.

"You know, your satanic majesty, or whatever you kids are calling it these days?" she says.

"The Devil?" Gary guesses. She nods.

"Uh... no," Gary says. "It's okay. I don't really wanna bother him."

"Oh, but he's gonna wanna meet you," she says. "Relax! It'll be easy. He's just gonna ask you one little question and all you gotta do is say yes. And then you get your reward." She suddenly turns around and grabs Dean, just as he's about to stab her. She throws him to the floor and starts kicking him. She then throws Kayla against the wall as she runs to help Dean. Dean manages to meet Gary's eyes as the demon attacks him, and Gary suddenly begins to say an exorcism. Norah whirls around.

"What was that?"

"Uh, nothing," Gary says.

"You're trying to exorcise me!" she comes at him, kicking a chair aside. "You little piece of crap!" She grabs him by the neck and lifts him, but then Dean begins the exorcism. She starts for him, but Gary picks up where Dean left off, and together they finish the exorcism. "Adios, bitch," Dean says.

"Actually, it's Adinos," Gary says. The demon leaves Norah's body, and she collapses.

"She better hope that my brother doesn't find out that she hurt me or she's in a whole world of pain," Kayla remarks laying on the floor.

Norah is sitting on one of the motel beds, while Gary says the ritual to return him and Sam to their rightful bodies. Sam looks at his hands, then goes to the mirror.

"So we good?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, we're good," Sam says. "Oh man, it's nice to be back."

"Yeah, awesome," Gary says sarcastically, standing up.

"So, Gary," Dean begins.

"Yeah I know," Gary says. "My bad."

"My bad?" Dean repeats. "Kid, 'my bad' ain't gonna cut it. See, if you were of voting age? You'd be dead. Because we would kill you." Sam nods. "So either you straighten up and fly right, or we will kill you," Dean goes on. "Are we clear?"

Gary nods. "Crystal."

"Good," Dean says.

They drive Norah and Gary back to Gary's house. Outside, they all get out of the car.

"Ah crap," Gary says.

"Gary, take it from someone who knows," Sam says. "Shut up, man. Your life ain't that bad."

"Uh, you met my parents?" Gary asks.

"Yeah, so what? It's your life. You don't like their plan for you? Tell 'em to cram it. Rebel a little bit. In a healthy, non-satanic way."

"Of course," Gary says. He looks at Norah, who waves.

"By the way, you know why Norah's into witchcraft?" Sam says.

"What do you mean?" Gary asks.

"She doesn't like Satan, you moron. She likes you," Sam says.

"Really?" Gary says, looking surprised. "You think?"

"Yeah," Sam says, nodding. "I know. I'm telling you kid, I wish I had your life."

"You do?" Gary says. Sam nods.

"Thanks," Gary says.

"Get on out of here," Sam says, and the two of them go in the house.

"That was a nice thing to say," Dean says.

Sam nods. "Totally lied. Kid's life sucked ass." Kayla laughs.

They get in the Impala. "All that apple pie family crap? It's stressful," Sam comments. "Trust me. We didn't miss a damn thing."

"Or we don't know what we're missing," Dean says. He turns on the radio.

"Aw come on man, turn it down," Sam says. Dean glances at him.

"Welcome back, Cotter." Kayla laughs again.

"You feeling better?" Dean asks, looking at her in the wingmirror.

"Yep," she grins, popping the 'p'. "Guess that wraith venom finally worked its way out of my body." The boys laugh at her happy expression and drive away.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 Rewritten-

Anna walks into an empty warehouse. She heads down the middle of the room, waiting, when she suddenly hears whispering. "Hello?" she calls. "Who's there?" The lightbulbs start bursting, and Castiel appears behind her.

"Hello, Anna."

"Well," she says. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the Winchesters don't trust me."

"They do, I don't," Castiel replies. "I wouldn't let them come."

"And why is that?" Anna asks.

"If you're out of prison, it's because they let you out," Cas says. "And they sent you here to do their dirty work."

"And what makes you so sure?" Anna asks.

"Because I've experienced Heaven's persuasion," Cas says.

"You mean when you gave me to them," Anna snaps.

"That was a mistake," Cas admits. "Anna, whatever they sent you here to do..."

"They didn't send me," she says. "I escaped."

"No one escapes," Castiel says firmly.

"All these centuries... and you're underestimating me now?" Anna says.

"If you're not one of them, then what do you want?" Cas asks.

"I wanna help," she says.

"You wanna help," Cas repeats disbelievingly.

"Yes," she says.

"Then what are you doing with that knife?" he asks. She pauses for a moment, then pulls the knife from her belt.

"What, I'm not allowed to defend myself?"

"Against whom?" Cas says. "That blade doesn't work against angels, not like this one." She glances down at the long thin knife in his hand. "Maybe you're not working for Heaven, but there's something you're not telling me."

"Sam Winchester has to die," she says after a moment of considering the knife.

"I'm sorry – but we have no choice. He's Lucifer's vessel."

"He's not the only one," Cas says.

"What, that guy Nick? He's burning away as we speak," she says. "No. Sam is the only vessel that matters. You know what that means. If Lucifer can't take Sam, his whole plan short circuits. No fight with Michael, no Croatoan virus. The Horsemen go back to their day jobs."

"Even if you could kill Sam, Satan would just bring him back to life," Cas says.

"Not after I scatter his cells across the universe," Anna replies. "They'll never find him. Not all of him."

"Even if you did succeed in permanently killing Sam, Lucifer will just persuade the little sister into destroying the world. And if you kill Sam, it wouldn't take much persuasion," Cas says.

"She's been found, the little sister has finally been found," Anna replies, amazed. "It doesn't matter, I'll just kill her as well, before she gets her grace back."

"I'll find another way," Cas says firmly.

"How's that going?" Anna asks sarcastically. "How's the Colt working out? Or the search for God? Is anything working? If you want to stop the Devil, this is how."

"The answer's still no," Cas says. "Because Sam is my friend and Kayla is my sister."

Anna stares at him. "You've changed."

"Maybe too late," Cas replies, "But I have." He turns to face her. "Anna, we've been through much together. But you come near Sam Winchester, and I'll kill you. You come near Kayla and I'll kill you, and if I don't Lucifer certainly will." Anna disappears, leaving Castiel standing alone.

"Really? Anna?" Dean says. Castiel is busy drawing a symbol with Kayla watching him intently. "I don't believe it."

"It's true," Cas says, not looking up.

"So she's gone all Glenn Close," Dean says. "That's awesome."

"Who's Glenn Close?" Castiel asks. Kayla giggles as Dean says, "No one. Just a psycho bitch that likes to boil rabbits."

"So, the plan to kill me – would it actually stop Satan?" Sam asks from where he's sitting on the bed. "I mean Lucifer," he hastily adds after being glared at by Kayla.

"No Sam, come on," Dean says. Sam ignores him.

"Cas, what do you think? Does Anna have a point?"

Castiel eyes Dean for a second, then replies "No. She's a... Glenn Close. Besides she wants to kill Kayla as well."

"I don't get it – we're looking for the chick that wants to gank Sam and Kayla? Why poke the bear?" Dean asks.

"Anna will keep trying. She won't give up until they are dead," Cas replies.

"So we kill her first."

"Hang on, if she tries to kill Kayla won't she have every angel on her?" Dean asks, looking confused.

"Some of them will, depends on the angel and how jealous they are," Cas replies. He begins speaking in a different language, and the candle flares in front of him. He stumbles back, grabbing the chair to balance himself, then opens his eyes.

"Cas!" Kayla shouts, running around the table and supporting him. "I found her," he tells them.

"Where is she?" Dean asks.

"Not where. When," Cas says. "It's 1978."

"What? Why 1978? I wasn't even born yet," Sam says, standing up.

"You won't be, if she kills your parents," Cas explains. "Anna can't get to you because of me. So she's going after them." Cas looks at Kayla. "It appears as though she is targeting Sam first."

"Take us back right now," Dean says immediately.

"And deliver you right to Anna? I should go alone," Castiel says.

"They're our parents, Cas. We're going and Kayla's coming with us." Dean snaps.

"It's not that easy," Cas says, turning away. Kayla wraps an arm around his waist, trying to comfort him.

"Why not?" Sam asks.

"Time travel was difficult, even with the powers of Heaven at my disposal," Castiel explains.

"But you're cut off," Sam realizes.

"Oh Cas," Kayla murmurs.

"So what, you're like a Delorian without enough Plutonium?" Dean asks.

"I don't understand that reference. But I'm telling you, taking this trip – with passengers, no less – it'll weaken me," Cas says. Dean walks closer.

"They're our mom and dad. If we can save them? And not just from Anna – I mean if we can set things right? We have to try."

"Cas, leave me behind," Kayla begs as Castiel packs his bag.

"No I won't leave you unprotected," Cas tells her, putting Holy Oil in the bag.

"Taking Sam and Dean will weaken you enough, and that doesn't include taking me as well," Kayla argues.

"Kayla, you are coming so stop arguing," Cas says firmly, looking at her.

"Ready?" he asks.

"Not really," Sam says.

"Bend your knees," Dean tells him. Kayla walks over to Cas and wraps her arms around him. Cas touches Sam and Dean on the forehead. They disappear.

The trio appear in the middle of a road, and a car almost hits them, twice.

"Did we make it?" Sam asks.

"Unless they're bringing Pintos back into production, I'd say yes," Dean says.

"Where's Cas?" Kayla asks, looking frantic."Cas!" They see Castiel leaning against a car, bleeding.

"Hey, hey, take it easy- you alright Cas?" Kayla asks as they run over.

"I'm fine," Cas says. "I'm much better than I expected."

"I told you that you should have left me Cas," Kayla tells him, looking on the verge of tears. The boys help him up, even as he begins to cough blood and passes out.

"He's breathing – sort of," Sam says. "What do we do?"

Outside a motel called "The Prairie Court Motel", Sam looks through the phone book. Dean and Kayla come out a second later. Kayla's glaring at Dean, looking mad. They watch a couple walk by, and Sam laughs.

"I mean, the moustaches alone!"

"So I paid for Cas for five nights, up in the honeymoon suite," Dean says. "I told the manager 'do not disturb no matter what'. You know what he said to me? 'Yeah, don't sweat it. Wanna buy some dope?' Dope. We oughta stick around here and buy some stock in Microsoft."

"Yeah we might have to, if Cas doesn't recover," Sam says.

"Don't say that!" Kayla suddenly growls at him. "Don't you dare say that!"

"Is he alright?" Sam asks cautiously, glancing at Kayla.

"What do I look like, Dr. Angel Medicine Woman? He'll wake up. He's tough for a nerdy little dude with wings," Dean says. Kayla growls again.

"If he landed like that, hopefully so did Anna," Sam comments. "Should buy us some time."

"So did you find them?" Dean asks.

"Yeah," Sam says, holding the page from the phone book. "The Winchesters – 485 Robin Tree."

"Let's go pop in on the folks," Dean says.

They pull up outside the Winchester's house – the Impala is sitting outside. Sam hurries toward the door. "Sam, wait!" Dean says.

"Dean, Anna could be here any second!" Sam argues.

"What exactly are we gonna march up there and tell them?" Dean asks.

"Uh, the truth?" Sam suggests.

"What, that their sons are back from the future to save them from an angel gone Terminator? I mean come on, those movies haven't even come out yet!" Dean says.

"Well then tell her demons are after them – I mean, she thinks you're a hunter, right?" Sam replies.

"Yeah, a hunter who disappeared right when her dad died," Dean says. "She's gonna love me. Just follow my lead."

John and Mary are inside, preparing for dinner. "How was work?" Mary asks.

"It was uh – great," John says, smiling. He reaches for some food, but she stops him.

"Not until you wash up," she says.

"I love it when you get bossy," he says, and they kiss. The doorbell rings, and she goes to answer it.

She freezes when she sees Dean. "Hi Mary," Dean says.

"You can't be here," she says.

"I'm sorry if this is a bad time..." Dean begins.

"You don't understand. I'm not... I don't do that anymore." She glances at Sam, but he's just staring at her. She then spots Kayla who still looks mad. "I have a normal life now. You have to go."

"I'm sorry, but this is important," Dean says, putting out his hand to stop her shutting the door. John walks up behind Mary, and he stops.

"Sorry sweetie, they're just..." Mary begins.

"Mary's cousins," Dean says quickly. "We couldn't stop in town without swinging by and saying hey, could we? Dean." He holds out his hand. John shakes it.

"You look familiar."

"Really?" Dean says.

"Yeah, you do too actually. We must've met at some time. Small towns, right? Gotta love 'em." John smiles. "I'm John." He holds out his hand to Sam, who is watching him with tears in his eyes. He quickly shakes John's hand.

"This is Sam," Dean says quickly. "And miss moody over there is Kayla." Kayla gives a quick smile when her name is mentioned.

"Sam? Uh, Mary's father was a Sam," John comments.

"Oh, it's a family name," Dean replies.

John glances at Sam, who is still holding onto his hand. "You okay pal? You look a little spooked."

"Oh yeah, yeah," Sam says, quickly letting go. "Just... long trip."

"Well, Sam, Dean and Kayla were just on their way out," Mary says, smiling politely.

"What? They just got here," John says. "I'm always happy to meet folks from Mary's side. Please – come in for a beer."

Dean smiles. "Twist my arm." Mary gives him a long, warning look as Kayla rolls her eyes.

Inside, Sam can't stop staring at Mary. She looks back at him awkwardly.

"You're sure you're okay Sam?" John asks.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just um... you are so beautiful," Sam says to Mary.

"He means that in a non-weird, wholesome family kind of way," Dean says quickly. "We haven't seen Mary in quite some time, and see... she's the spitting image of our Mom. I mean it's – it's..."

"Eerie," Sam says.

"So, how are you guys related?" John asks.

"You know – uh, distantly," Dean says.

"Very distantly," Kayla mutters. She pulls out three photos that have been taped together. One is of her and Cas, another of her and Gabriel and the last of her and Lucifer. She stares at them and smiles, remembering when they were taken.

"Oh, so you knew Mary's parents," John says.

"Yeah, yeah. Mary's dad was pretty much like a grandpa to us," Dean says.

"Wow. It's tragic," John says, putting his hand on Mary's arm. "He had a heart attack." Mary looks at Dean sharply.

"Yes, it was," Dean says.

"So uh –what are you guys doing in town anyway?" John asks.

"Uh, business, you know," Dean says.

"Oh yeah? What line of work?" John asks.

"Scrap metal," Dean says at the same time as Sam says "Plumbing."

"What they are trying to say is that I'm visiting my brother who they don't get along with, so they make up some work excuse so they won't upset me," Kayla interrupts, glaring at the brothers.

Mary stands up. "Oh gosh, it's almost seven. I hate to be rude, but I gotta get dinner ready."

"Well maybe they can stay," John suggests.

"I'm sure they have to leave," Mary says firmly. The phone rings.

"Uh look, please stay?" John asks. "It would mean a lot to me. I haven't met much of Mary's side of the family." He stands up to get the phone.

"You have to leave now," Mary says to the trio.

"Okay, just listen," Dean begins.

"No, you listen. Last time I saw you, a demon killed my parents," Mary says. "Now you waltz in here like you're family? Whatever you want, no. Leave me alone."

"You and John are in danger," Sam says quickly.

"What are you talking about?" Mary says.

"Something's coming for you," Dean says.

"A demon?" she asks quietly.

"Not exactly," Dean replies.

"What then?" she asks.

"It's kinda hard to explain, okay? It's..." Dean begins.

"An angel," Kayla interrupts.

"What?" She laughs. "There's no such thing."

"Honey, if angels didn't exist then I wouldn't be standing her right now," Kayla laughs.

"I wish," Dean says. "But they're twice as strong as demons, and bigger dicks."

"Why would an angel wanna kill us?" Mary asks.

"It's a long story, and we'll tell you the whole thing, but right now you've gotta trust us, and we gotta go," Dean says. "Look at my face and tell me if I'm lying to you."

Mary looks at him for a second. "Okay. Where do we go?"

"Outta here. We gotta move now though," Dean says.

"Okay, but what do I tell John?" she asks.

"Just tell him..." Dean stops, looking around. "John?" They head into the kitchen, and Mary notices a note by the phone. It says 'Back in 15 – J'.

John heads into the garage, which is all dark. "Mr. Woodson?" he calls. "You still here?" He turns on the light, and spots a body. Mr. Woodson is dead, his eyes burned out. John backs away in horror, and turns to see Anna standing behind him. She grabs him by the jacket and throws him into a nearby shelf. He starts to get up. As she watches him, her vision starts to go blurry and her nose bleeds. John hits her with a crowbar, and she falls to the ground, but suddenly appears beside him again. She throws him over a car, and she turns just in time to see Dean, standing behind her with the angel killing knife. She grabs his arm and his neck.

"I wish I could say it's good to see you, Anna," Dean says.

"You too, Dean," she says, then throws him through a window, knocking him out. Anna turns again and sees Mary pick up the knife. John gets up in time to see her attack Anna. She manages to cut Anna's hand and kick her, but then she disappears. She looks around until Anna appears behind her, and grabs her arm.

"I'm sorry," she says, and throws her through a car windshield. Mary pulls herself over the car and picks up a crowbar, sticking it into Anna's chest. Anna coughs blood, but then pulls out the crowbar.

"Sorry. It's not that easy to kill an angel."

"No – but you can distract them," Sam says. They turn to look at him – he's painted a symbol in blood on the wall, and he puts his hand on it. Anna disappears. John looks at Mary in shock. They all turn around when they hear Kayla groan and collapse.

John is driving. Mary is in the passenger seat, and the trio are in the back of the Impala, Kayla holding her head. "Monsters. Monsters?" John says.

"Yes," Mary says.

"Monsters are real," John says.

"I'm sorry I didn't know how..." she begins.

"And you fight them?" John cuts in. "All of you?"

"Yeah," Sam says.

John is silent for a second. "How long?"

"All my life?" Mary says. "John, just try to understand..."

"She didn't exactly have a choice," Dean begins, and Sam starts to open his mouth.

"Shut up, all of you!" John says loudly. "Look, not another word or so help me I will turn this car around!"

"Wow. Awkward family roadtrip," Dean mutters to Sam.

"No kidding," Sam says.

"You forget that I'm not related to you," Kayla growls at the, still holding her head.

They pull up in front of an old house and go in. Mary turns on the lights. "The place has been in the family for years." She lifts the rug. "Devil's trap. Pure iron fixtures, of course. There should be salt and holy water in the pantry... knives, guns..."

"All that stuff'll do is piss it off," Sam says.

"So what'll kill it? Or, slow it down at least?" Mary asks.

"Not much," Kayla shrugs.

"Great," she replies.

"She said not much," Dean says. "Not nothing. We packed." He puts his bag on the table and opens it, pulling out a piece of paper with a symbol on it. "We put this up, and she comes close? We can beam her right off the starship."

Sam picks up the jug. "This is holy oil. It's kind of like a devil's trap for angels. Come on. I'll show you how it works." Mary follows him. John watches her go awkwardly.

"Okay, what's the deal with the thing on the paper?" John asks Dean.

"It's a sigil. It means..." Dean begins.

"I don't care what it means," John interrupts. "Where does it go?"

"On a wall or a door," Dean says, looking slightly surprised.

"How big should I make it?" John asks.

"John..." Dean begins.

"What?" he snaps. "Y'all might have treated me like a fool, but I am not useless. I can draw a damn – whatever it is – sigil."

"Why don't you go help Sam out, okay?" Dean says. "Cause this has gotta be done... it's gotta be done in human blood." John takes the knife and cuts his hand. "So – how big?"

Dean nods. "I'll show you." He laughs a little.

"What?" John asks. Dean looks at him.

"All of a sudden, you really remind me of my Dad." John looks at him slightly weirdly. Kayla walks into the room.

"Hey Kayla," Dean calls. "How come you affected when Sam sent Anna away?"

"I'm a fallen archangel," Kayla reminds him. "When you're that powerful, it doesn't just go. So I'm a tiny part angel still. Tiny enough that I don't get sent away, but large enough for me to get affected."

"Oh," Dean says, looking stunned.

"It seems to have gotten bigger since I met my brothers though," she shrugs before walking away.

Mary is pouring the holy oil in a circle on the floor. She looks up at Dean as he walks in. "Okay. You said you'd explain everything when we had a minute. We have a minute. Why does an angel want me dead?"

Dean glances around. "Because they're dicks?"

She laughs. "Not good enough. Besides Kayla's not a dick is she? I didn't even know they existed, and now I'm a target?"

"It's complicated," Dean says, looking down.

She stands up. "Fine. All ears."

"You're just gonna have to trust me, okay?" Dean says.

"I've been trusting you all day," she reminds him.

"It's kinda hard to believe," Dean says.

"Alright then. I'm walking out the door," she says.

"I'm your son," Dean says.

She stops. "What?"

Dean walks closer. "I'm your son. Sorry, I don't know how else to say it. We're from the year 2010. An angel zapped us back here... not the one that attacked you, friendlier. Kayla's brother."

"You can't expect me to believe that," she says.

Dean looks at her. "Our names are Dean and Sam... Winchester. We're named after your parents. When I would get sick? You would make me tomato rice soup. Cause that's what your mom made you." Mary stares at him, her eyes starting to well up. "And instead of a lullaby, you would sing 'Hey Jude'," Dean goes on. "That's your favourite Beatles song."

She shakes her head, sniffing. "I don't believe it. No."

"I'm sorry, but it's true," Dean says.

"I raised my kids to be hunters?" she says.

"No, no you didn't," Dean says quickly.

"How could I do that to you?" she goes on.

"You didn't do it," Dean insists. "Because you're dead."

She blinks. "Oh God... what happened?"

"The yellow-eyed demon," Dean says. "He killed you, and John became a hunter to get revenge. He raised us in this life. Listen to me. A demon comes into Sam's nursery, exactly six months after he's born, November 2nd 1983. Remember that date, and whatever you do... do not go in there. You wake up that morning and you take Sam and you run."

"It's not good enough, Dean," Sam says from the doorway. They both look at him. "Wherever she goes, the demon's going to find her," Sam goes on. "Find me."

"Well then what?" Dean asks.

Sam sighs. "She can leave Dad. That's what." They both stare at him. "You gotta leave John," Sam says.

"What?" she gapes at him.

"When this is all over... walk away," Sam says. "And never look back."

"So we're never born," Dean realizes. "He's right."

She shakes her head. "I can't. You're saying that your my children, and now you're saying..."

"You have no other choice," Sam says.

"There's a big difference between dying and never being born," Dean says. "And trust me, we're okay with it. I promise you that."

"Well I'm not," Mary snaps.

"You think you can have that normal life that you want so bad, but you can't," Sam says. "I'm sorry. It's all gonna go rotten. You are gonna die. And your children will be cursed."

Mary looks at both of them. "There has to be a way."

"No, this is the way. Leave John," Dean says.

"I can't," she says firmly.

"This is bigger than us," Dean says. "There is so many more lives at stake."

"You don't understand. I can't," she says loudly.

"You're pregnant," Kayla breaths, standing in the doorway.

"She's right," Mary says.

"Hey, we got a problem," John says, walking in behind them. "Those blood things, the sigils? They're gone."

"Gone as in..." Sam begins.

"I drew one on the back of the door, I turned around, and I when I looked back again it was a smudge," John says. Dean goes to look. Sure enough, they're gone. "He's right."

Mary checks the floor. "There's no more holy oil."

"Someone's coming," Kayla warns. A ringing fills the air suddenly. Sam draws the knife. They all cover their ears, except Kayla. The windows shatter.

The ringing slowly disappears, and they straighten up. The door flies open, and they turn to look. Uriel walks in.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean asks.

"I'm Uriel," he says.

"Huh?" Kayla looks at him, cocking her head to the side.

"Oh come on," Dean says, backing up.

"Go," Sam says to Mary and John, but Anna appears.

"Well here goes nothing," Dean says, and goes to stab Uriel while Sam goes after Anna. Both of them are thrown aside. Uriel begins to kick Dean. Kayla goes to help him but is thrown back by Uriel. She hits her head on the wall and falls to the ground, dazed. John spots the angel knife and goes to pick it up, but Anna steps on it. She throws him through the window as Mary screams. Uriel continues to attack Dean, and Anna walks toward Sam. He runs for the knife, but she pulls a pipe from the wall and stabs him with it. "Sammy!"

Inside, Sam falls down, dying. "Sam!" Dean yells, but Sam is dead. Anna walks toward Mary. "I am really sorry."

"Anna," a voice says, and she turns around. John is standing behind her, but it's not John.

"Michael," she says. He walks forward and puts his hand on her chest. Blue flames fill her, and she screams and turns to ash.

"Michael," Uriel says from the doorway, "I didn't know."

"Goodbye, Uriel," Michael replies. He snaps his fingers, and Uriel is gone.

He turns back to Mary. "What did you do to John?" she asks.

"John is fine," he says.

"Who – what – are you?" she asks. "Shhh," he says, putting a finger to his lips. He reaches over and touches her on the forehead. She falls to the ground. Dean stumbles to the doorway, clutching his ribs. He stumbles over to Kayla and helps her up, pulling her behind him.

"Well I'd say this conversation is long overdue," Michael says, smiling. "Wouldn't you?"

"Fix him," Dean says, pointing at Sam.

"First, we talk," Michael replies. "Then I fix your darling little Sammy."

Dean eyes him. "How'd you get in my dad anyway?"

"I told him I could save his wife, and he said yes," Michael replies.

"Well I guess they oversold me then, huh? Being your one and only vessel," Dean says.

"You're my true vessel," Michael says. "But not my only one."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dean asks.

"It's a bloodline," Michael says. "Stretching back to Cain and Abel. It's in your blood, your father's blood, your family's blood."

"Awesome," Dean says quietly. "Six degrees of Heaven bacon. What do you want with me?"

"You really don't know the answer to that?" Michael asks.

"Well you know I ain't gonna say yes, so why are you here?" Dean replies. "What do you want with me?"

"I just want you to understand, what you and I have to do," Michael says.

"Oh I get it. You got beef with your brother, well get some therapy, pal, don't take it out on my planet!" Dean snaps.

"You're wrong," Michael says. "Lucifer defied our father, and he betrayed me, but still. I don't want this any more than you would want to kill Sam." He walks over to where Sam lies on the floor. "You know my brother... I practically raised him. I took care of him in a way that most people could never understand. And I still love him." He looks at Dean. "But I am going to kill him, because it is right. And I have to."

"Why, because God says so?" Dean says, before shushing Kayla.

"From the beginning he knew this was how it was going to end."

"And you're just gonna do whatever God says?" Dean asks.

"Yes, because I am a good son," Michael replies.

Dean smirks. "Yeah well trust me pal, take it from someone who knows, that is a dead-end street."

"And you think you know better than my father?" Michael asks. "One unimportant little man? What makes you think you get to choose?"

"Because I gotta believe that I can choose what I do with... my unimportant little life," Dean says.

"You're wrong," Michael says. "You know how I know? Think of a million random acts of chance, that let John and Mary be born. To meet. To fall in love, to have the two of you. Think of the million random choices that you make, and yet each and every one of them brings you closer to your destiny. Do you know why that is? Because it's not random. It's not chance. It's a plan that is playing itself out perfectly. Free will is an illusion, Dean. That's why you're going to say yes." Dean looks at him blankly.

"Oh buck up! It could be worse," Michael says. "You know, unlike my brothers I won't leave you a drooling mess when I'm done wearing you."

"Well what about my dad?" Dean asks.

"Better than new," Michael replies. "In fact, I'm going to do your mom and your dad a favour."

"What?" Dean asks.

"Scrub their minds," Michael says. "They won't remember me, or you."

"You can't do that," Dean says desperately.

"I'm just giving your mother what she wants," Michael says calmly. "She can go back to her husband, her family."

"She's gonna walk right into that nursery!" Dean says.

"Obviously. And she always knew that was going to play out one way or another," Michael replies. "You can't fight City Hall." He walks over and crouches beside Sam, then touches his head. Sam disappears. Michael stands. "He's home. Safe and sound. Your turn." He straightens Dean's jacket. "I'll see you soon, Dean." He touches him on the forehead. He then turns to Kayla, "Hello little sister."

"Hey Michael," she replies, rubbing the back of her head where she hit it. He frowns and walks over to her. He run his hand over the bump, instantly healing it. "Thanks," she smiles.

"What are you calling yourself these days?" Michael asks.

Kayla looks confused, "Kayla. Can you tell me who I was?"

Michael shakes his head, "That is something you have to find out for yourself."

"Oh," she pouts.

Michael shakes his head, "I hear that you've met Gabriel and Lucifer."

Kayla looks up, eyes widening in shock. "Don't worry, no one will find out about Gabriel."

"Thanks bro," she grins and hugs him. Michael returns the hug.

"Time to go back to the Winchesters, Kayla," he says.

"Wait!" she calls before Michael can touch her forehead. "Can you go to the 'Prairie Court Motel' and help Cas get back please?" She gives him the patented 'puppy-dog' eyes.

"I will," he sighs.

"Thanks bro," she grins before getting sent back to Sam and Dean.

Kayla is sitting on the bed and Sam is unwrapping two glasses and Dean is taking out a bottle of whiskey when Castiel appears behind them. The boys quickly catch him.

"You son of a bitch, you made it," Dean says.

"I did," Cas says. "I'm very surprised." He faints. They pull him over to one of the beds. Kayla jumps off of her one and walks over to the one with Cas on. She sits down and pulls his head onto her lap.

"Do you think that I should tell him that I got Michael to help him get back?" she asks the boys, looking up at them. They stare at her in shock, not answering.

"Well I could use that drink now," Dean says.

"Yeah," Sam agrees. Dean pours them whiskey. "This is it."

"This is what?" Sam asks.

"Team Free Will," Dean says. "One ex-blood junkie, one drop-out with six bucks to his name, one fallen archangel and Mr. Comatose over here. That's awesome."

"That's not funny," Sam says.

Dean takes a drink. "I'm not laughing."

Sam sighs. "They all say we'll say yes."

"I know, it's getting annoying," Dean says.

"What if they're right?" Sam asks.

"They're not," Dean replies.

"I mean, why would we? Either of us? But... I've been weak before," Sam says.

"Sam," Dean interrupts.

"Michael got Dad to say yes," Sam reminds him.

"That was different," Dean says. "Anna was about to kill Mom."

"And if you could save Mom?" Sam asks. "What would you say?" Dean doesn't reply. They look over at the sound of quiet singing. Kayla is singing to Cas, stroking his hair back from his face. Both look content. The boys decide to give them that moment and quietly leave the room.

John and Mary are standing by a wooden crib. Mary is very pregnant. John smiles. "Where did you even get it?"

"Garage sale," she replies, stroking her stomach. "Twenty five cents."

"Well I'm glad to hear that, anyway," John says.

She laughs. "Hey!"

"I mean, you really don't think it's just... a little cheesy?" John asks.

She smiles. "I think it's sweet." She looks at the angel figurine on the shelf over the crib. "I can't even put my finger on why I like it. I just... like it."

John smiles. "Well then I love it." He kisses her and leaves the room. She feels her stomach. "Ooh – quite a kick there. Troublemaker already. It's okay, baby. It's all okay." She looks at the figurine. "Angels are watching over you."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Rewrite

Dean is sitting with his feet up, reading, and Kayla is lying down on the bed, when Sam comes back, carrying food. "How did it go?" Dean asks.

"Um, no EMF, no sulphur... ghost possession and demonic possession are both probably out," Sam says.

"Hmm. That's where I was putting my money," Dean says. "Well then what then?" He rubs his eyes. "Oh, dude. At the coroner's? You didn't see these bodies. I mean these two started eating, and they just kept going. I mean, their stomachs were full. Like Thanksgiving dinner full. Talk about co-dependent."

"It was disgusting," Kayla says, opening her eyes and looking at Sam. "And I have a headache."

Sam sits down. "Well, we got our feelers out. Not much more we can do tonight. Alright. I'm just gonna go through some files... you can go ahead and get going."

Dean sits up. "Sorry?"

"Go ahead," Sam says, opening his laptop. "Unleash the kraken. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Dean looks confused. "Where am I going?"

"Yeah, where is he going?" Kayla asks, looking at the pair, confused.

"Dean, it's Valentine's Day," Sam reminds him. "Your favourite holiday, remember? I mean, what do you always call it? Unattached Drifter Christmas?"

"Seriously," Kayla laughs, before groaning again.

Dean sighs and stands up. "Yeah, well... be that as it may, I dunno. I guess I'm not feeling it this year." He pops open another beer.

Sam stares. "So you're not into bars filled with lonely women?"

"Nah, I guess not," Dean replies, then looks at Sam. "What?"

"It's when a dog doesn't eat," Sam says. "That's when you know something's really wrong."

"Really really wrong," Kayla adds.

"Remarkably patronizing concern," Dean says. "Duly noted. Nothing's wrong. Are we gonna work or what?" He sits. Kayla lies back down. A scene flashes past her eyes, a garden with a child, a teenager and an adult playing in it. She sits up in shock.

"Hey Kayla, you alright?" Dean asks, looking over.

"Yeah," she says distractedly. "I'm fine." She lies back down, wondering what the hell that was.

Dean, Sam and Kayla are walking down the hallway together, and a tall bald man carrying a suitcase passes them. Sam stares at him on the way by – he can hear his heartbeat. Dean glances at him. "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Sam says quickly. He glances back.

Inside the morgue, the doctor is covering up a dead body. He looks back as the doors open. "Agent Marley! You just can't stay away," he says to Dean. "And you even brought your pretty little intern with you again." Kayla blushes and looks down.

"I heard you tagged another double suicide," Dean replies.

"Oh, I just finished closing them up," the doctor says.

"Doctor Corman, this is my partner, Special Agent Cliff," Dean says.

"Agent Cliff – I finished my prelims," he says, shaking Sam's hand.

"Great, you mind if we take a look at the bodies?" Sam asks.

"Not at all – but like I said, their good and plenties are already tupperwared." He opens the fridge to show them. "Just leave the keys with Marty, up front. And please, gentlemen, lady, refrigerate after opening." He gets his coat and leaves.

The boys open the containers and begin to look at the organs. Kayla stands away from the tables. Dean looks at her.

"Oh no, no, no. I ain't touching those tubs with a ten foot pole," she says, backing away even more. He shrugs and pushes one of the containers containing a heart towards Sam. "Hey – be my Valentine?" Sam gives him a look. "How 'bout you Kayla?" Dean asks,looking over at her.

"Dream on Dean," she smirks. "And you better hope that my brothers don't hear you say that, you know how protective they are."

Sam sighs and looks again at the heart. "Whoa whoa whoa – wait a second." He puts both hearts together and looks at them. "These hearts both have identical marks." He shows Dean with the magnifying glass. "It's like some kind of letter."

"Oh crap," Kayla groans, looking over Sam's shoulder.

"What?" Dean asks.

"That's Enokian," she says.

"You mean like angel scratches?" Dean asks. "So you think it's like the tagging on our ribs."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I think," Kayla says. Dean pulls out his cellphone.

"Cas, it's Dean. Yeah, room 31C, basement level. St. James Medical Cen..." He stops. Castiel is right in front of him.

"I'm there now," Cas says into the phone.

"Yeah, I get that," Dean says as Kayla laughs.

"I'm gonna hang up, now," Cas says.

"Right," Dean says.

Cas picks up the heart and looks at the marking. "You're right, Kayla. These are angelic marks. I imagine you'd find similar marks on the other couples' hearts as well."

"So what are they? I mean, what do they mean?" Sam asks.

Cas looks at Kayla, encouraging her to answer. "It's a mark of union, isn't it? This man and woman were intended to mate," she says, looking unsure.

"Yes," Cas smiles.

"Okay, but who put 'em there?" Dean asks.

"Well, your people call them Cupid," Cas says, putting down the heart.

"A what?" Sam says.

"What human myth has mistaken for Cupid is actually a lower order of angel," Cas explains. "Technically it's a cherub – third class."

"A cherub?" Dean repeats.

"Yeah, they're all over the world. There's dozens of them," Cas goes on.

"You mean the little flying fat kid in diapers?" Dean asks.

"They're not incontinent," Cas replies.

"Okay, anyway. So what you're saying is..." Sam begins.

"What I'm saying is a Cupid has gone rogue, and we have to stop him," Cas says firmly. "Before he kills again."

"Naturally," Sam says.

"Of course we do," Dean says.

The boys, Castiel and Kayla are in a restaurant. The waitress brings their food – a cheeseburger for Dean, a salad for Sam and a plate of fries for Kayla. "So what, you just happen to know he likes the cosmos at this place?" Dean asks Cas, picking up his burger.

"This place is an excess of human reproduction, it's exactly the kind of garden that Cupid will come to... pollinate." He watches as Dean squirts ketchup on his hamburger. Sam watches as Dean picks up the burger, looks at it, and puts it back down, pushing his plate away. Kayla watches Cas eye the burger.

"Wait a minute," he says. "You're not hungry."

"No," Dean replies. "What, I'm not hungry!"

"Then you're not gonna finish that?" Cas asks, pointing at his plate. He reaches over and takes it, putting it front of himself, then picks up the burger. As the trio stare at him, he suddenly stops. "He's here."

"Where? I don't see anything," Sam says, glancing around the restaurant.

"I sense him too," Kayla says, looking around. There's a strange breeze blowing through the room, and Cas's eyes fall on a couple sitting together.

"There," Cas says. The couple starts kissing.

"What, you mean the same-side-of-the-booth couple over there?" Dean asks.

"Meet me in the back," Cas says, and disappears.

In the back room, they find Castiel standing with his hand stretched out in front of him. "Cas," Sam says. "Where is he?"

"I have him tethered," Cas replies, and begins speaking in a different language. "Manifest yourself." Nothing happens.

"So where is he?" Dean asks. Suddenly, a pair of arms grab him from behind in a hug.

"Here I am!" The large, chubby, naked man behind Dean giggles and bounces him around a little. Cas covers Kayla's eyes with his hand.

"Help?" Dean says.

"Oh, help is on the way, yes it is," Cupid says. He finally lets go and heads for Cas. "Hello, you!" He hugs Castiel too as the brothers watch in horror, Kayla running over to them.

"This is Cupid?" Dean asks.

"Yes," Castiel manages to say. Cupid turns around and looks at Sam.

"And look at you, huh?"

"No," Sam says quickly.

"Yes, yes!" Cupid grabs him in a hug.

After a few minutes he lets go of Sam. He looks at Kayla, who groans and says, "Do I have to?"

"You always used to enjoy them," Cupid grins, picking her up in a hug. "It's good to see you again sister."

"Is this a fight? Are we in a fight?" Dean asks, confused.

"This is... their handshake," Cas explains.

"I don't like it," Dean says.

"No one likes it," Cas says. "Except Kayla apparently." Cupid finally lets go of Kayla and walks back toward them.

"What can I do for you?"

"Why are you doing this?" Cas asks.

"Doing what?" Cupid laughs.

"Your targets, the ones you've marked – they're slaughtering each other," Cas goes on.

Cupid's smile fades. "What? They are?"

"Listen," Dean says. "Birthday suit. We know. Okay? We know you've been flitting around, popping people with your poison arrow, making them murder each other!"

"What we don't know is why," Cas adds.

Cupid looks at them. "You think that I...? Well uh... I don't know what to say." He begins crying.

"Should somebody maybe... go talk to him?" Sam asks awkwardly.

"That's a good idea," Dean says. Sam, Dean and Cas all look at Kayla.

"Why me?" she asks. "It's because I'm a girl isn't it?"

"Give 'im hell, kiddo," Dean says. They smile at her encouragingly. Kayla walks over.

"Look... we didn't mean to, um... hurt your feelings." Cupid turns around and hugs her again.

"Love is more than a word to me, you know? I love love – I love it! – and if that's wrong, I don't wanna be right."

"Yes, yes, of course. I understand," Kayla says, hugging him back.

"I was just on my appointed rounds," Cupid says. "Whatever my targets do after that, that's nothing to do with me. I was following my orders." Cupid turns to Cas, still not letting Kayla go. "Please brother – read my mind. Read my mind – you'll see." Cas looks into his eyes for a long moment, then turns away.

"He's telling the truth."

"Jiminy Christmas, thank you," Cupid says, finally letting go of Kayla.

"Wait wait – you said you were just following orders," Dean says. "Who's orders?"

Cupid laughs. "Heaven, silly! Heaven."

"Why does Heaven care if Harry meets Sally?" Dean asks.

"Oh, mostly they don't," Cupid says. "You know, certain bloodlines, certain destinies... oh, like yours."

"What?" Sam says.

"Oh yeah, the union of John and Mary Winchester? Very big deal upstairs. Top priority arrangement," Cupid says.

"Are you saying you fixed up our parents?" Dean asks.

"Uh oh," Kayla whispers, looking at Dean with wide eyes.

"Well, not me – but yeah," Cupid laughs. "It wasn't easy, either. Oooh, they couldn't stand each other at first. But when we were done with them? Perfect couple."

"Perfect," Dean repeats. "They're dead!"

"I'm sorry, but the orders were very clear," Cupid says. "You and Sam needed to be born. Your parents were just... meant to be." He laughs. "A match made in Heaven."

Dean punches him in the face, which does nothing, and clutches his hand. "Son of a bitch." Cupid's gone when they look again.

"Where is he? Where'd he go?" Dean asks.

"I believe you upset him," Cas says.

"Upset him?" Dean says incredulously.

"Yeah, Dean, you big meany!" Kayla says, glaring at him.

"Dean, enough!" Sam says.

"What?" Dean asks.

"You just punched a Cupid!" Sam says.

"I punched a dick!" Dean argues.

"Um, are we gonna talk about what's been up with you lately or not?" Sam asks. Dean glares. "Or not." Sam rolls his eyes as Dean walks by him.

The briefcase sits in front of the trio on the table. "What the hell does a demon have to do with this anyway?" Dean wonders.

Sam sighs. "Believe me, I got no idea."

Dean eyes him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be alright," Sam nods.

Dean looks back at the briefcase after a second. "Let's crack her open. What's the worst that could happen, right?" Together the bothers crack the combination lock, and the briefcase flies open, a blinding light coming from inside. The boys jump back, flinching, until it fades. However, Kayla just stares at the light, eyes wide in shock.

"What the hell was that?" Dean wonders out loud.

"It was a human soul," Castiel says. They turn.

Cas is standing near the window, holding a bag. "It's starting to make sense." He takes a big bite of a hamburger in his hand.

"What about that makes sense?" Sam asks.

"And when did you start eating?" Dean asks.

Cas nods. "Exactly! My hunger! It's a clue, actually."

"For what?" the boys ask in unison. Kayla looks at them.

"This town isn't suffering from some love-gone-wrong effect," Cas says. "It's suffering from hunger. Starvation, to be exact. Specifically... famine."

"Famine? As in – the horseman?" Sam asks.

"Great. Well that's friggin' great," Dean says.

"I thought famine meant starvation," Sam says. "Like as in, you know, food."

"Yes, absolutely," Cas replies. "But not just food. I mean, everyone seems to be starving for something. Sex, attention, drugs. Love. Memories." He glances at Kayla when he says the last one.

"Well that explains the puppy-lovers Cupid shot up," Dean says.

"Right. The cherub made them crave love, and then Famine came and made them rabid for it," Cas replies.

"Okay, but what about you? I mean since when do angels secretly hunger for White Castle?" Dean asks.

"It's my vessel, Jimmy. His appetite for red meat has been touched by Famine's effect," Cas explains, taking another bite.

"So, Famine just rolls into town and everybody goes crazy?" Dean asks. Cas swallows.

"'And then will come Famine, riding on a black steed. He will ride into the land of plenty – and great will be the horseman's hunger, for he is hunger.'"

"When Famine is hungry, he must devour the souls of his victims," Cas explains.

"So that's what was in the briefcase," Dean realizes. "The Twinkie dude's soul?"

Cas nods. "Lucifer has sent his demons to care for Famine. To feed him. Make certain he'll be ready."

"Ready for what?" Sam asks.

"To march across the land," Cas replies.

"Aw, hell. I gotta have words with my big brother," Kayla moans, holding her head in her hands.

Sam is in the bathroom, pressing a cool cloth on his face and neck. Dean is in the other room with Cas and Kayla. Kayla's lying down the bed, holding her head. More images flash through her head. Two adults fighting, with two teenagers a young child watching. An adult teaching the child how to do something.

"Famine," Sam says.

Cas nods, his mouth full. "Yes."

"So what, this whole town is just gonna eat, drink, and screw itself to death?" Sam asks.

"Unless we stop it," Cas says.

"Hey, that's a great idea. How?" Dean says.

"How did you stop the last Horseman you met?" Cas asks.

Dean thinks a second. "War his got his mojo from this ring." He goes to his jacket and pulls it out. "And after we cut it off, he just tucked tail and ran. And everybody that was effected, it was like they woke up out of a dream. You think Famine's got a class ring too?"

"I know he does," Cas says.

"Okay, let's track him down and get to chopping," Dean says.

"Yeah," Cas says distractedly, looking at the empty food bag in front of him.

"What are you, a hamburglar?" Dean says. Sam continues to wash his face, breathing heavily.

"Sam, let's roll," Dean says.

"Dean? I... um... I can't," Sam begins. He goes to the doorway. "I can't go."

Dean looks at him. "What do you mean?"

"I think it got to me, Dean," Sam says. "I think I'm hungry for it."

"Hungry for what?" Dean asks, even though he knows.

Sam gives him a look. "You know."

"Demon blood?" Dean says anyway. "You gotta be kidding me." He turns to Cas. "You gotta get him out of here. You gotta beam him to like, Montana. Anywhere but here."

"It won't work, he's already infected. The hunger is just gonna travel with him," Cas replies.

"Well then what do we do?" Dean says desperately.

"You go cut that bastard's finger off," Sam says. Dean looks at him, then at Cas. "You heard him."

"But Dean, before you go you better..." Sam pauses. "You better lock me down."

Dean handcuffs Sam to the bathroom sink. "Alright, well just hang in there. We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Be careful," Sam says. "And... hurry." Dean pats him on the arm and gets up, closing the door behind him. Castiel pushes a dresser in front of the door.

Cas, Dean and Kayla walk down the hall toward the morgue. "Hey Marty," Dean says to a doctor. "Is Dr. Korman around?"

Marty looks at him. "You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Dean asks.

Inside, Marty uncovers the doctor's dead body. "The guy's been dry for the last twenty years. But this morning he left work, went home, and drank himself to death."

"It's Famine," Castiel explains.

"Pardon?" Marty says.

"Would you give us a minute, please?" Dean asks, and Marty leaves.

"Crap," Dean says. "I really kinda liked this guy."

Castiel lays a hand on the dead man's chest. "They haven't harvested his soul yet."

"Well if we wanna play follow the soul to get to Famine, our best shot starts with the doc here," Dean replies.

Dean is sitting in the Impala, watching the entrance to the hospital with Kayla lying on the backseat. More images flash through her mind, too fast for her to see clearly. Castiel appears in the passenger seat, opening a bag of hamburgers. "Are you serious?" Dean says.

Castiel takes a large bite and smiles. "These make me very happy."

Dean rolls his eyes. "How many is that?"

"Lost count," Cas says through his food. "It's in the low hundreds." Dean whistles. "What I don't understand is, where's your hunger, Dean?" Cas says. "Slowly but surely, everyone in this town is falling prey to Famine. But so far, you seem unaffected."

"Hey, when I wanna drink, I drink. When I want sex, I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich, or a fight," Dean says.

"So you're saying you're just well adjusted?" Cas says.

"God no. I'm just well fed," Dean smiles.

Cas nods toward the hospital. "There." A man in a black suit comes out, carrying a briefcase. He gets into a black SUV. Dean starts the car, and they follow.

Dean, Castiel and Kayla pull up outside the restaurant where Famine is. They can see a bunch of men in suits outside. "Demons," Dean says. "You wanna go over the plan again?" Castiel is stroking the wrapper from the hamburger thoughtfully.

"Hey!" Dean snaps. "Happy meal! The plan."

"I take the knife, I go in and cut off the ring hand of Famine and I meet you back here in the parking lot," Castiel says.

"Well that sounds foolproof," Dean says, but Castiel's already gone. He waits a second, then gets out of the car. "This is taking too long." Kayla groans and gets out as well. Images flashing through her mind.

They go in through the back door, and find a dead man in the kitchen, his head in the deep fryer. He looks over the counter and sees Castiel, on the floor, shoving raw beef into his mouth.

"Cas!" he whispers. A demon comes in behind them, and Dean fights him off until another one grabs him from behind, throwing him into the wall. Another demon comes up and grabs Kayla, but she is so lost in the images flashing through her mind that she doesn't notice.

They drag them out of the back room, past Castiel, who is still eating.

"The other Mr. Winchester," Famine says. "And Miss Kayla." He is sitting in his chair a few feet away. He glances at Kayla. She shrieks and holds her head, collapsing.

_A young child runs up to a teenager. "Gabe, Luci wants to see you," she smiles up at him. _

"_Okey-doke kiddo," Gabriel grins. He picks her up and swings her around. The child squeals with laughter. "Come on, let's go find Luci-Lou." The pair walk off. They walk into a garden. A man is standing in the middle. _

"_Luci," the child yells. Gabriel puts her down and she runs over to Lucifer. He turns around and picks her up. _

"_I got Gabe, Luci," she tells him proudly._

"_Well done, Mettie," he tells her._

"_Name not Mettie," she scowls. "Name Kayla."_

_Lucifer rolls his eyes, "Okay Kayla, well done." He turns to Gabriel. "It's happening soon, Gabriel. I don't know how long I will be able to stay."_

"_Why are you telling me this?"Gabriel asks, frowning._

"_If I fall, Kayla will also fall. Michael won't care for her, Raphael definitely won't and I know you are planning on leaving. When she does fall, make sure that she is re-born in the time of the Winchesters," Lucifer tells him._

"_I wil brother," Gabriel promises._

"_Lucifer," Michael's voice echoes throughout the garden._

"_Michael," Lucifer turns to face him. "Is it time already?"he asks._

"_You know it is," Michael replies. _

_Lucifer turns back to Gabriel and passes Kayla over to him, "Look after her brother," he tells him._

"_Luci, what's happening?" Kayla asks, looking between him and Michael. Lucifer doesn't answer. He just turns back around to face Michael._

"_Let's get this over with brother." The pair start to fight. Each blow delivered with earth-shattering impact._

"_No! Stop!" Kayla screams, struggling to break free of Gabriel grips. He just tightens his hold on her._

"_Don't cry baby," he whispers to her. Tears run down her face as she watches her older brothers battle. Gabriel looks around and sees the other angels gathered around. The spectators are silent except for Kayla's quiet whimpering. Hours later the battle finally ends. When Michael strikes the final blow against Lucifer, defeating in, Kayla screams. Gabriel puts her down and she races over. Michael has already left, dragging Lucifer to hell. "I love you Luci," she sobs. Then, before anyone can stop her, she rips out grace. She then falls from Heaven, from everything that she knows. Gabriel keeps his promise and gently nudges her towards the future. _

"_See you in 5,000 years kiddo," he whispers, before leaving Heaven for the final time._

Visions continue to flash through Kayla's mind.

"What did you do to them?" Dean asks.

"You set your dog on me, I just threw him a steak," Famine replies. "Her? I just gave her what she wanted. Her memories."

"So this is your big trick?" Dean says. "Huh? Making people cuckoo for coco puffs?"

"It doesn't take much. Hardly a push," Famine replies. "Ah, America – all you can eat, all the time. Consume, consume... a swarm of locusts in stretch pads. And yet you're all still starving. Because hunger doesn't just come from the body, it also comes from the soul."

"Funny, it doesn't seem to be coming from mine," Dean says.

"Yes, I noticed that," Famine replies. "Have you wondered why that is? How you could even walk in my presence?"

"I like it to think it's because of my strength of character," Dean smirks.

Famine sighs. "I disagree." He pushes his chair forward until he's right in front of Dean, and puts a hand on his chest. "Yes – I see. That's one deep dark nothing you got there, Dean. Can't fill it, can you? Not with food, or drink, not even with sex."

"Oh, you're so full of crap," Dean says.

"You can smile, and joke, and lie to your brother, lie to Kayla, lie to yourself – but not to me!" Famine interrupts. "I can see inside you, Dean! I can see how broken you are! How defeated – you can't win, and you know it. But you just keep fighting – keep going through the motions. You're not hungry, Dean, because inside, you're already dead."

"Let him go," a voice says.

Famine turns his chair around to see Sam, blood smeared on his face. "Sam!" he says.

"Sammy, no!" Dean says. A couple of demons start forward, but Famine stops them.

"No one lays a finger on this sweet little boy! Sam, I see you got the snack I sent you."

"You sent?" Sam repeats.

"Don't worry. You're not like everyone else. You'll never die from drinking too much. You're the exception to the rule. You and the fallen angel. Just the way Satan wanted you to be. So... cut their throats!" He motions to the demons.

"Sammy, no!" Dean says again.

"Please – be my guest," Famine says. Sam raises his hand, and all the demons pour out of the men's mouths at once. The one holding Kayla promptly drops her. Dean drags her over to Cas and quickly picks up the knife. Once all the demons are on the ground, Sam looks up.

"No."

"Well, fine. If you don't want them, then I'll have them," says Famine, and he open his mouth. All the demons fly into his mouth and down his throat. Sam walks forward slowly and raises his hand. Nothing happens.

"I'm a horseman, Sam. Your power doesn't work on me," Famine smiles.

"You're right," Sam agrees. "But it will work on them." He squeezes his hand, and Famine's mouth opens in a scream as black smoke oozes out of his body. Sam's nose begins to bleed, but he keeps going until the demons are gone. Castiel sits up, wiping his mouth and helping Kayla. Dean just stares at his brother silently.

Castiel, Dean and Kayla stand outside Bobby's panic room. Sam is inside, yelling. "Dean! Cas! If you're out there, please. Help!" Dean takes a drink from the bottle of whiskey in his hand. "That's not him in there," Cas says. "Not really."

"I know," Dean says quietly.

"Dean, Sam just has to get it out of his system," Cas says. "And then he'll be..."

"Listen, I just, uh..." Dean cuts him off. "I just need to get some air." He walks away.

Kayla looks up at Cas, "Those visions I saw. They weren't visions, were they? They were memories?"

Cas sighs, "You're right. They were memories."

"Whose 'Mettie'?" Kayla asks.

"A very special and very loved angel," Cas replies, pulling Kayla into a hug. They stand there, receiving comfort from each other.

Outside, Dean walks among the old, broken down cars to the Impala. He takes another drink, then fights back tears. Looking up at the night sky, he says "Please. I can't... I need some help. Please."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 Rewritten

"Bobby, listen. When you get this message, call, okay?" Sam says into his phone as he climbs out of the Impala. He and Dean are both wearing suits, Kayla's is wearing her normal clothes.

"Is he still not home?" Dean asks as the trio head towards a diner. "How far could he get in that chair?" They go in. The place is mostly empty.

"So what do we do?" Sam wonders.

"Kayla," they hear someone shout from the end of the room.

"Christine," Kayla shouts in return. She runs over as Christine gets up. They hug.

"It's good to see you hon," Kayla smiles when she pulls away.

"You too," Christine smiles in return. "What have you been up to? And who are those sexy guys that you came in with?"

"You may wanna sit down for this," Kayla advises her. They walk over to the booth Christine was sitting in and sit down. "Well, here it goes. You remember the night I disappeared?" Christine nods. "Well, after I went home after going to your house, my dad tried to kill me. He was possessed by a demon. My mom was already dad along with the baby. An angel saved me. He's called Castiel. After that I've been travelling with Sam and Dean, they boys who you saw me with."

"Oh," Christine says, smiling weakly.

"And that's not even the shocking part," Kayla says.

"What?" Christine asks.

Kayla looks Christine in the eye, "I'm a fallen archangel. I've met Lucifer, Gabriel and Michael. They're my big brothers. Lucifer is trying to destroy humanity and he wants me to help."

Christine is speechless. She just stares at Kayla with her mouth open.

"Yeah, I know!" Kayla grins. They sit in silence for a while enjoying each other's presence.

"Oh," Christine suddenly says. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Kayla asks.

"You know you said that your parents died," Christine replies excitedly.

"Yeah?" Kayla says cautiously.

"Well, they're still alive," Christine tells her happily. The colour drains from Kayla's face. Suddenly, she leaps up and runs out of the door.

Kayla runs the road she used to live down. She skids to a stop outside her gate and slowly opens it. She walks up the path and cautiously knocks on the door. Her mom opens the door and gasps in shock, "Kayla!"

"Hey mom," Kayla chokes, tears streaming down her face. Her mom pulls her into a hug which Kayla melts into, sobbing on her mom's shoulder. The pair stumble into the house. He dad walks out of the kitchen.

"Kayla," he whispers. He then runs over and joins in with the hug.

"Daddy!" Kayla cries, holding onto him.

"I'm so sorry baby. So, so sorry," he whispers.

"Not your fault," she whispers back. The family of three stand there holding each other, seeking comfort in each other's embrace.

Eventually the family of three stumble into the living room.

"Honey, we know," Kayla's mom tells her as the three of them sit together of the couch.

"Know what?" Kayla asks, looking confused.

"About the whole angel thing," her dad replies.

"Oh," she says, looking down.

"Hey," he lifts up her chin and looks her in the eye. "You'll always be our little girl and we'll always love you. No matter what you are," he assures her. She smiles and hugs them, not noticing that their bodies temperatures were sky high.

As they walk into Bobby's house, Dean begins "You want to tell us what the hell..." He stops as a pale woman walks into the room, carrying some plates.

"Oh hey!" The boys stare. She smiles. "I didn't realize you were bringing company."

"It's four a.m, babe. You didn't need to cook," Bobby says.

"Oh, please. I'll get some more plates," she replies, and leaves the room. Bobby glances at the boys.

"Who is that?" Dean asks quietly.

"Karen – my wife," Bobby says.

"Your new wife?" Dean says.

"My dead wife," Bobby corrects.

They are all sitting around Bobby's kitchen table, eating pie. "Mmm," Dean says. "This is incredible, Mrs. Singer."

"Thank you, Dean," she smiles. Sam clears his throat, and Dean glances at him.

"What? It is."

"That's great, Karen. Thanks," Bobby says, smiling at her. "Could you, uh... just give us a minute?" She smiles and leaves the room, closing the door a little. As soon as she's gone, the boys drop their forks.

"Are you crazy? What the hell?" Dean asks.

"Dean, I can explain," Bobby begins.

"Explain what? Lying to us? Or the American Girl zombie making cupcakes in your kitchen?" Dean snaps.

"First of all, that's my wife, so watch it," Bobby growls.

"Bobby, whatever that thing is in there, it is not your wife," Sam puts in.

"And how do you know that?" Bobby asks.

"Are you serious?" Sam replies.

"You think I'm an idiot, boy? My dead wife shows up on my doorstep I'm not gonna test her every way I ever learned?" Bobby snaps.

"So what is it? Zombie? Revenant?" Dean asks.

"Hell if I can tell," Bobby admits. "She's got no scars , no wounds... no reaction to salt, silver, holy water..."

"Bobby, she crawled out of her coffin," Dean reminds him.

"No she didn't," Bobby says. "I cremated her. Somehow, someway, she's back."

"That's impossible," Sam says.

"Tell me about it," Bobby agrees.

"You buried her ashes?" Sam asks.

"Yeah," Bobby replies.

"Where?" Dean asks.

"In the cemetery," Bobby says. "It's where they all rose from."

"How many?" Dean asks. "Fifteen, twenty... I made a list," Bobby says, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket and giving it to Sam. "There's Karen, Clay, Sheriff Mills – her little boy came back and Mark and Amy West."

"And there were no signs? No omens?" Sam asks incredulously.

"Well, there were the lightning storms," Bobby admits.

"That's what we said. What else?" Dean asks irritably.

Bobby goes to his desk and picks up the Book of Revelation, then reads "'And through the fire stood before me a pale horse... and he that sat atop him carried a scythe. And I saw since he had risen, they too shall rise. And from him, and through him.'" The boys are silent.

"So what, Death is behind this?" Dean guesses.

"Death Death? Like Grim Reaper Death?" Sam asks. Bobby nods.

"Awesome," Dean says, rubbing his forehead. "Another horseman. Must be Thursday."

Sam stands up. "Bobby, why would Death raise fifteen people in a town like Sioux Falls?"

"I dunno," Bobby replies.

"You know, if Death is behind this, then whatever these things are, it's not good," Dean says. "You know what we have to do here."

"She doesn't remember anything, you know," Bobby says after a second.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks.

"Being possessed," Bobby replies. "Me killing her. Coming back."

"Bobby," Dean begins.

"No, don't 'Bobby' me," Bobby cuts in. "Just... just listen, okay?" They can hear Karen humming in the kitchen. "She hums when she cooks," Bobby says after a moment. "She always used to hum when she cooked. Tone deaf as hell, but... I never thought I would hear it again." The boys exchange glances silently. "Look, just read Revelation. The dead rise during the apocalypse. There's nothing in there that says that's bad! Hell, maybe it's the one good thing that comes out of this whole bloody mess," Bobby says.

"And what would you do if you were us?" Dean asks quietly.

Bobby is silent for a long moment, then "I know what I'd do. And I know what you think you've gotta do. But I'm begging you, please. Please – leave her be."

"So what do you think?" Sam asks as they have coffee.

"There's nothing to think about," Dean replies. "We're not gonna leave Bobby at home with the bride of Frankstein."

"Then what do you wanna do, just walk in there in front of Bobby and blow her skull off?" Sam asks.

"If she decides that Bobby's face is the blue-plate special, I'd like to be there," Dean says.

Sam sighs. "Fine. See what else we can find out. Hang on a minute. Mark and Amy West."

"Kayla's parents," they say at the same time.

"I'll check on her while you check on Bobby," Sam says. They leave.

Dean is standing out in the junkyard, watching Bobby's house from a distance. Suddenly, Bobby's wife is beside him. He jumps, and she smiles. "Oops – did I scare you?"

"No, no...there's nothing scary about you at all," Dean says sarcastically.

She smiles. "Would you like some lunch?"

"Uh, I'm good, thanks," Dean replies.

"Come on, there's more pie," she says.

"I don't think that Bobby wants me inside," Dean says quickly.

"Guess it'll have to be our secret then, huh," she says. "Come on!"

Sam walks quietly up to the Sheriff's house and looks in the window. She's sitting on the couch with her husband and her very pale son, reading a book. Sam sighs.

Dean is eating pie in Bobby's kitchen. He glances around and notices there's pies everywhere. Karen closes the door to the dining room, where Bobby is asleep. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that you like pies," Dean says. "Did you bake all these?"

"I don't know what it is," she says. "Since I got back I can't stop baking."

"When do you have time to sleep?" Dean asks.

"I don't," she says. "Must be the excitement."

"Or being dead," Dean says.

She's silent for a moment, then says "I know you don't trust me."

"Why would you say that?" Dean asks.

"Come on, Dean. That's why you're here, isn't it?" she asks. "Keeping an eye on me? I know who you are. Just like I know Bobby's not the same mild-mannered scrap dealer I married. You hunt things. I'm a thing. I get it."

"So then you know that Sam and I would never let anything happen to Bobby," Dean says. "He's like a father to us."

"I understand," she nods. "And he's lucky to have you looking out for him, Dean. But you're not the only one."

"Is that so," Dean says. She turns away and begins kneading a ball of dough.

"I remember everything, you know. When I died. That demon taking over my body... the things it made me do. And Bobby having no choice but to... well, you know what he did. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me... the guilt. It weighs on him."

"So why don't you just tell him you remember?" Dean asks. She turns to face him.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say... you've never been in love," she says. "He's my husband. My job is to bring him peace. Not pain."

Sam phones Kayla but receives no answer. He walks up to another house where one of the zombies apparently lives and knocks. Nobody answers. "Mrs. Jones?" he calls. He notices blood on the doorstep, and goes inside when the door opens easily. "Esther Jones?" Sam calls again. He hears coughing, and goes into the bedroom. An old woman is laying on the bed. She has sores on her face and looks very sick. "Um, Esther Jones?" Sam says uneasily. She doesn't say anything, but waves her hand for him to come closer. "Uh..." Sam eases forward. "What is it?" She beckons at him impatiently. "You think maybe you could tell me from here?" Sam asks hopefully. She beckons him again. "Yeah, I'm gonna regret this," Sam says, and moves forward. She coughs and drools down her chin. Sam flinches. Suddenly she screams and flings him backward. Sam notices a dead man, half eaten, laying on the next bed, a split second before the woman jumps on him. She claws at him and drool drips onto his face, until Sam manages to get his gun from his belt and shoots her in the mouth. She falls next to her dead husband. Sam wipes his cheek in disgust.

The boys follow Bobby into his living room. "Keep your damn voices down, Karen's upstairs," Bobby warns.

"Oh I'm sorry, we're a little tense right now," Dean snaps. "Who's old lady Jones?"

"The first one to come up," Bobby replies.

"First one to go bad," Sam adds.

"Ah, she was always a nutty broad," Bobby says, shrugging.

"Nutty how? Nutty like the way she ate her husband's stomach, was that the level of nutty she was in life?" Dean asks sarcastically.

"No," Bobby replies.

"Look Bobby. I feel for you," Dean says. "But you have go to acknowledge that you're not exactly seeing this straight." Bobby starts to wheel his chair away.

"Bobby, whether you admit it or not, these things are turning," Sam adds. "We have to stop them! All of them."

Bobby turns to face them, then pulls a gun from beside him. "Time to go."

"What?" Dean says.

"You heard me. Off my property," Bobby snaps.

"Or what? You'll shoot?" Sam asks incredulously.

"If Karen turns, I will handle it," Bobby says firmly. "My way. Now go save Kayla."

"This is dangerous," Dean tells him.

Bobby cocks the gun. "I'm not telling you twice." The boys leave.

Outside Bobby's junkyard, Dean stops the car. "He's crazy."

"It's his wife, Dean," Sam says.

"So he goes full metal jacket on us? We're his family, Sam," Dean reminds him.

"Look man, bigger fish, okay? I mean, we got a bunch of zombies about to turn this entire town into a chew toy and two of those zombies are with the girl we're supposed to protect," Sam replies.

"Yeah, and he's alone in a house making pie with one of them," Dean says urgently.

"Alright, so?" Sam asks. "So? I'm gonna have to go back there and – and kill her," Dean says. "That's the only thing I can think of."

"If he sees you, you're a dead man," Sam reminds him.

"Well then I guess I won't let him see me," Dean replies.

"Okay. I'll head to town, rescue Kayla and then rescue everyone else. Should be easy," Sam says.

"Sounds like," Dean agrees.

"I'm gonna need some help," Sam says.

"What about the sheriff?" Dean suggests.

"Last time I checked, the sheriff was pretty pro-zombie," Sam replies.

"Well I guess you'll just have to convince her," Dean says.

"How?" Sam asks.

"I dunno, you're just gonna," Dean says.

The sheriff is sitting on the couch next to her son, wiping his face with a cool cloth. "There, does that feel better honey?"

"I'm so hungry Mommy," he says. "I know, I know. Mommy's gonna make you some soup, okay?" she says.

"Okay," he says.

"I don't know what else to tell you, Doc," the sheriff's husband says over the phone. "We checked the thermometer three times. His temperature is one hundred and eleven degrees." Jody holds out her hand for the phone and he hands it to her.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," her son calls from the other room.

"Can you take that in to him?" Jody says, pointing to the soup. She puts the phone to her ear. "Dr. Dwight, it's Jody Mills."

Dean is making his way through the junkyard, loading a shotgun.

"Karen, stay away from the windows," Bobby calls. "Karen?" There's a loud crash from the other room. Bobby rushes in to find his wife on the floor. "Karen?" She coughs and starts to get up.

"I'm okay. I'm okay. I just got a bit dizzy." Bobby feels her cheek.

"You're burning up."

"No, I'm okay," she says desperately. "I just need something to eat. And I'll be fine – really." She starts coughing again as Bobby stares.

"I don't know how to explain it, doctor, that's why we're calling you," Jody says. There's a crash from the other room, and she drops the phone and runs. "Sean?" The couch is empty, only a blood-stained blanket left behind. "Owen?" she calls. A trail of blood leads behind the couch. Her son is crouched over her husband, eating. He looks up at her, blood on his face, and starts forward.

Sam grabs her shoulder at the last moment. "Let's go!" They run out of the house.

"My husband!" she screams.

"He's dead!" Sam says.

"That was not my son!" she cries.

"You're right, it wasn't," Sam agrees. "Now listen – sheriff? Your town is in danger! People are in danger, and we need to help them now! Can you do that for me? Can you focus for me, sheriff?" She shakes her head, beginning to cry.

"Sheriff?" Sam says again.

"How do we put him down?" she asks.

"Head shot," Sam replies.

She nods. "We're gonna need weapons." Sam nods.

"We can start by rounding up everybody we can find after we find someone. Where is there a safe place we can take people?"

"Jail," she replies shakily, trying to focus.

"Right," Sam says. "Just um... give me a minute." He loads his pistol, but she grabs his arm. Sam goes anyway, and she lets him. She flinches when she hears the gunshot.

Kayla's sitting in the kitchen with her parents.

"I'm so hungry," her dad states.

"Get some food then," she grins standing up and stretching. "I'll be back in a moment." She is half way out of the kitchen door when something hits her, pushing her to the floor. She kicks it off and turns around. Her parents are bearing down on her, their faces wild.

"What the hell?" she shrieks, pushing herself backwards. "Mom? Dad?"

Just as they reach her, two gunshots ring out. Kayla turns and sees Sam and Jody standing there, guns raised.

"Sam," Kayla sobs as he runs over. He pulls her into a hug and allows her to cry into his shoulder, mourning the parents that she has lost for a second time.

Karen is laying in bed, Bobby next to her, holding her hand. "I'm so hungry, Bobby," she says.

"I'll fix you something to eat, in a minute," Bobby replies.

She shakes her head. "I can feel it – it's happening."

"Shh," Bobby says. "It's gonna be alright."

"No, it's not," she says sadly. "I'm turning, Bobby. You know I am." She looks over at the gun on the table. "It's okay. Do it."

"No way," Bobby says.

"Please!" she says.

"No," Bobby says again.

"I remember," she replies. "Everything. The demon inside me... you killing me... I remember."

"Then you know why I can't do it again," Bobby says tearfully.

"There's something else too," Karen says. "When I came back, there was a man. At the grave. He was so thin... like a skeleton. And he told me to give you a message."

"Me?" Bobby asks. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"You've seen so much," she says. "I just... I just wanted to see you smile."

"What was the message?" Bobby asks.

Dean tries to open Bobby's door, but it's locked. He picks the lock and goes inside, but stops dead when a gunshot rings out. "Bobby?" he yells, hurrying into the other room. Bobby is sitting beside Karen, who he has just shot.

The sheriff and Sam are unloading guns. Kayla's standing to the side of the room, still crying. There's a bunch of other people in the room as well. "Alright, if I hand you a gun and you see a dead person, I don't care if it's your friend, your neighbour, or your wife... you shoot for the head," Sam says. "That's the only way we survive."

"Uh, you mind telling us who the hell you are?" a man asks.

"A friend of Bobby Singer's," Sam replies, smiling.

"The town drunk," the man says.

"No, I thought... I thought he was the town drunk," Sam says, motioning toward Digger.

"Who told you that?" the man asks.

"Bobby Singer," Sam admits. "Stay sharp! I'll watch the front door."

Dean is loading one of the vans with weapons, and Bobby is sitting near him. Dean glances at him. "You know, Bobby, if you wanna sit this one out..."

Bobby looks at him. "Just get going." Dean closes the van doors, and they hear a sudden commotion a ways away. Dean grabs a shotgun and walks toward the noise. Bobby stays where he is, holding a shotgun as well. He sees movement and calls Dean, but when there's no answer he fires. A zombie attacks Dean, knocking him down, but Dean hits it in the face with his gun and then shoots it. Bobby continues shooting zombies as they come at him. One finally knocks him out of his wheelchair, but Dean shoots it a second later, then helps Bobby back into his chair. Bobby shoots another zombie, and Dean quickly wheels him back to the house. "You got any more ammo? I'm low."

"Yeah, we got plenty. Just run back past the zombies, it's in the van where we left it," Bobby says.

"A simple no would've been fine," Dean snaps. "What are they all doing here, anyway?"

"Think I get it," Bobby says.

"What?" Dean asks, but a crash from upstairs cuts Bobby off. "Oh, that ain't good."

The zombies start coming in through the windows and from down the stairs. They shoot them, but run out of bullets. Dean starts hitting them with the butt of his shotgun, but eventually they're forced into the closet. Dean closes and locks the door, then turns on the light. The zombies begin banging on the door immediately. "Kind of a tight fit, don't you think?" Bobby says sarcastically.

"It's alright, they're idiots. They can't pick a lock," Dean replies. A second later, the banging stops, and the doorknob begins to turn and jiggle.

"Don't you ever get tired of being wrong?" Bobby asks.

"I'm making this stuff up as I go," Dean replies. "Sue me." The door flies open, and Dean begins hitting them right away.

"Get down!" Sam suddenly shouts, and he and the sheriff shoot all of the zombies from behind. Dean slowly stands up.

"You okay?" Sam asks, panting.

Dean and the sheriff walk up to where Sam is standing, next to a burning pyre. "Well if there's any zombies left out there, we can't find them," Dean says.

"How are the townspeople?" Sam asks.

"Pretty freaked out," the sheriff says. "Hell, traumatized. A few of them are calling the papers... as far as I can tell nobody's believed them yet."

"Would you?" Sam asks, and she shakes her head.

"How you holding up?" Sam asks. She doesn't answer, and he nods.

"Is that everyone?" Dean asks.

"All but one," Sam replies.

The boys walk up behind Bobby. He is sitting in front of a funeral pyre of his own. "So... I'm thinking maybe I should apologize for losing my head back there," Bobby says.

"Bobby, you don't owe us anything," Sam says seriously.

"Hey, I don't know squat from shinola about love, but at least you got spend five days with her – right?" Dean adds.

"Right. Which makes things a thousand times worse," Bobby replies. "She was the love of my life. How many times do I gotta kill her?"

Sam swallows. "You gonna be okay, Bobby?"

"You boys should know," Bobby begins, "Karen told me why Death was here."

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

"I know why he took a stroll through a cemetery in the sticks of South Dakota," Bobby goes on. "He came for me."

"What do you mean you?" Dean asks.

"Death came for me," Bobby repeats.

"He brought Karen back to send me a message."

"And you? Why you?" Dean asks.

"Because I've been helping you, you sons of bitches," Bobby snaps. "I'm one of the reasons you're still saying no to Lucifer, Sam."

"So this was like a hit on your life?" Dean asks.

"I don't know if they wanted to take my life or... my spirit," Bobby says. "Either way, they wanted me out of the way."

Sam nods. "But you're gonna be alright, right Bobby?" Bobby doesn't reply.

Kayla's lying in the middle of a small clearing. The boys walk over and lie down on either side of her. "I used to come here all the time when I was little. It's the only place that I have ever felt truly safe in," she says quietly, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry about your parents Kayla," Dean says quietly.

"Don't be," she says. "I'll see them again." Dean nods. They continue lying there, enjoying the peace and the feeling of safety.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Rewritten-

Kayla was walking back to the motel, having just been to the coffee shop. Two men ran past her, knocking her over.

"Oi! Watch it!" she yells after them, getting back up. Kayla shakes her head and carries on walking. She walks into the motel room she's sharing with Sam and Dean.

"Hey guys, what're..." she trails off when she sees the dead and bloody bodies of Sam and Dean. Kayla screams and runs over to Dean.

"Please be alive. Please, please, please be alive," she begs, checking for a pulse, even though she knows that there's no hope.

"No," she screams again. She pulls out her phone and starts dialling Cas's number. She has to re-type the number several times cause she can't stop shaking.

"Kayla?" Cas asks, answering the phone.

"Cas?" she sobs. "It's Sam and Dean. They're d-d-dead."

"Where are you?" he asks gently.

"Ummm, Bogan's motel, Springcreek, Illinois," Kayla tells him.

"I'll be right there," he says. Seconds later, he appears in the room. Kayla runs over to him and collapses in his arms, sobbing into his chest. Cas picks her up and walks over to the bed, perching on the edge.

"It's okay. They'll be fine. Michael and Lucifer won't let them be dead for long," he comforts her. They sit like that for a few minutes.

"I've got to go," Cas sighs. "I need to find a way to contact Sam and Dean. I'll be back soon." Kayla moves off him, onto the bed. Staying as far away from Dean's body as possible. Cas pulls out his phone and walks out the door. Kayla stays where she is for a few minutes before getting up. She walks over to the bathroom and picks up a washcloth. She wets it and walks back out into the room. She walks over to Dean and pulls off his shirt.

"Y'know that won't work with the bullet wounds still there," someone says from behind her. Kayla shrieks and turns around. Gabriel is standing behind her, leaning on the bathroom door frame.

"Don't do that," she scolds him tearfully. Gabriel frowns and walks over to each Winchester, healing them.

"Now it will work," he says gently. Kayla nods her head in thanks and walks over to Dean. She cleans the blood off of him. She then looks at the bedsheets and frowns. She's about to turn to Gabriel when she hears him click. The sheets are clean again.

"Thanks Gabe," she says softly. She puts a new shirt on Dean and does the same with Sam.

"I haven't heard you call me Gabe in a long time," Gabriel says quietly. Kayla walks over to him.

"Is it alright if I call you that?" she asks, looking up at him worriedly.

"It's fine, kiddo. Absolutely fine," he replies. The pair walk over to the couch and sit down. Kayla looks at Gabriel.

"I remember some of my life as an archangel," she tells him.

"How?" he asks, looking amazed.

"When me and the boys fought Famine. Apparently I was craving my old memories, so he gave them to me. Some I remember clearly, some I don't," she explains.

"Do you remember that day?" Gabriel asks. Kayla nods slowly.

"I won't let them fight," she declares suddenly. "I won't lose my brothers again."

"I'll help," Gabriel promises.

"Thanks Gabe," Kayla smiles. "What is Mettie short for?"

Gabriel sighs, "Mettie is short for Metatron. You are the archangel Metatron, the patron angel of children."

"Is that why I get so angry when children are threatened or killed?" Kayla asks.

"Yep," Gabriel replies, popping the 'p'. "But what I don't understand is why so much of your personality stayed with you when you fell."

Kayla frowns, "Don't ask me." She looks over to the brother's bodies. "When will they wake up?"

"Dunno," Gabriel replies. "With those two you can never be too sure." Kayla giggles softly.

"I'll stay until they wake up," he promises.

"Thanks bro," Kayla smiles. Gabriel shifts his body so that he is sitting in the corner of the couch. He then pulls Kayla onto his lap. She snuggles down into his chest.

"Hey Gabe, if I'm called Metatron, then why did I always ask to be called Kayla?" she asks.

Gabriel laughs, "It's my fault really. I said that you looked like a Kayla to annoy Michael. Ever since then you wouldn't respond to any other name. But it wasn't until Lucifer started calling you Kayla that everyone started calling you that."

"Thought you had something to do with it Gabe," Kayla laughs, shaking her head. Gabriel grinned, happy that he could take her mind off of the dead muttonheads.

They spend the next couple of hours talking. They talk about the Winchesters, when Kayla was Metatron, the Winchesters, Gabriel's favourite sweets and the Winchesters. But the moment that Sam and Dean wake up, Gabriel hastily leaves. But he kisses Kayla on the forehead before he does. Kayla runs over to them.

"You're alright," she says laying a hand on Sam and Dean's shoulders. "Hey what happened up there?"

Dean looks at her, looking broken. "God doesn't care. He know and he doesn't care."

Kayla stares in shock. "This is gonna break Cas," she mutters. She picks up her phone and calls him. "I think you better get over here."

"Maybe...maybe Joshua was lying," Cas says desperately when he is told. The trio are packing their bags.

"I don't think he was, Cas, I'm sorry," Sam says.

Cas looks up at the ceiling. "You son of a bitch. I believed in..." He stops. Kayla walks over to him and puts an arm around his waist.

"God may not care, but I do. And I promise you that I will stop this big brother," she says, looking him straight in the eye. "If you can't believe in him anymore, then believe in me."

Cas pulls her close to him. "I believe in you, little sister," he whispers into her hair.

They turn to face the brothers. Cas pulls Dean's necklace from his pocket and tosses it to him. "I don't need this anymore. It's worthless."

"Cas, wait," Sam begins, but Cas's gone.

'_I'll look for your grace, Kayla. I have faith in you, you can stop it_,' Cas whispers in Kayla's mind.

"We'll find another way," Sam says. "We can still stop all of this, Dean."

"How?" Dean asks, looking up from the necklace in his hand.

"Well you have me," Kayla says. "They will listen to me. I won't let the world end. You know why?"

"Why?" Sam asks.

"Because I care," Kayla replies simply. She walks over to Dean. "If you can't put your faith in God, put it in me," she tells him. Dean smiles sadly and picks up his bag.

"I don't know if I even have any faith left," he says softly. He walks to the door, stopping to drop his necklace into the garbage can on the way out.

"Kayla, we were told to give you a message. It's from Joshua. It's about your grace. He says 'your grace is hidden in a safe place, in the first place that you ever felt safe in'. Does it mean anything to you?"Sam says.

Kayla shakes her head. He sighs and follows Dean outside. Kayla starts to follow but stops at the garbage can. She glances outside before picking up the necklace and hiding it in her pocket. She then walks out of the door, Joshua's message echoing through her mind.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 Rewritten

The impala was speeding down the highway. "Drive faster Dean," Sam grunts, obviously in pain.

"I can't," Dean replies. He looks over at Sam, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm amazing," Sam replies sarcastically.

"Kayla?" Dean asks, looking in the wingmirror.

"I'm fine," she responds.

"You ever seen that many?" Dean asks, looking back at Sam.

"No. Now way, not in one place," he replies.

Dean glances out the back window, "What the hell?" The impala screeches round a corner, still speeding. Dean suddenly brakes, a truck is on fire in the middle of the road.

"Damn it," Dean curses and starts to reverse. Suddenly, demons smash the windows and start to pull the trio out of the car. Holy water hits them, burning the demons, forcing them to let go. One of the men chants an exorcism through a megaphone.

"Enokian," Kayla breaths, looking confused.

"Well that's something you don't see every day," Dean says sarcastically.

"You three alright?" the one who said the exorcism asks as they get out of the car.

"Peachy," Dean replies.

"Be careful... it's dangerous round here," he warns the trio.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Dean says, as the man walks away.

"No need to thank us," he says, not turning around.

"No, hold up a sec," Dean says.

"Who are you?" Kayla asks.

The man turns around, "We're the Sacrament Lutheran Militia."

"I'm sorry, the what?" Dean and Kayla ask at the same time.

"I hate to tell you this, but those were demons and this is the apocalypse. So... buckle up." The trio stare at him in shock.

"Looks like we're in the same line of business," Sam remarks, finding his voice.

"And among colleagues," Dean says. "That's a police issue shotgun. That truck is, uh... inspired. Where'd you guys pick up this crap?"

"You know, you pick things up along the way," one of the men says. "I'm Paul."

"Rob," the guy who said the exorcism says.

"Dylan," the kid says, looking at Kayla.

She grins, "I'm Kayla. These are Sam and Dean."

"Guys, come on," Dean begs, shooting a glare at Dylan. " This whole corner of the state is nuts with demon omens. We just want to help. That's all."

"We're on the same team here. Just talk to us," Sam continues.

The strangers glance at each other. "Follow us," Rob finally says.

They lead the trio to a town that looks as though it is going through a war. The trio get out of the car.

"Dylan, it's a church. Headphones off," Dylan's mom scolds him.

"Yes, mom," he smiles. He looks at Kayla and smiles. They walk into the church. A wedding is taking place inside.

"Who would have thought the apocalypse could be so romantic? Marriage, family- it's a blessing. Especially in times like this. So hold onto that," the pastor says.

"Wedding?" Sam scoffs. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. We've had eight so far this week," Paula tells him.

"Congratulations! Yay!" the crowd inside the church cheers as the couple are married. Everyone goes outside.

"My names Gideon," the pastor introduces himself. "So Rob tells me you kids hunt demons."

"Uh…yes sir," Kayla answers.

"You missed a few," Gideon says.

"Yeah. Tell us about it. Any idea why they're here?" Sam asks.

Gideon shakes his head, "They sure seem to like us, though. Follow me, gentlemen, lady."

The trio and Gideon are walking down the stairs in the church. "So you're a preacher?" Dean asks.

"Not what you expected huh?" Gideon asks, smiling.

"Well dude, you're packing," Dean says.

"Strange times," Gideon replies. They walk into the church basement.

"Is that a twelve year old packing salt rounds?" Kayla asks.

"Everybody pitches in," Gideon replies.

"So, the whole church?" Sam asks.

"The whole town," Gideon confirms.

"A whole town full of hunters. I don't know whether to run screaming or buy a condo," Dean smirks.

"Well the demons were killing us. We had to do something," Gideon says.

"So why not call the National Guard?" Sam asks.

"We were told not to," Gideon replies.

"By who?" Kayla asks. Gideon doesn't answer.

"Come on, Padre," Dean says. "You're as locked and loaded as we've ever seen."

"And that exorcism was Enokian," Kayla adds.

"Someone's telling you something," Dean finishes.

"Look, I'm sorry, I, uh, I can't discuss it," Gideon stutters. A young girl walks up to them.

"Dad, it's okay," she says.

"Leah-" Gideon starts.

"It's Sam and Dean Winchester and Kayla West. They're safe. I know all about them," Leah says.

"You do?" Dean asks, looking confused.

"Sure. From the angels," Leah says.

"The angels. Awesome," Dean sighs, Kayla hits him.

"Don't worry. They can't see you here. The... marks on your ribs, right?"

"So you know all about us because angels told you?" Sam asks.

"Yes. Among other things," Leah replies.

"Like the snappy little exorcism spell," Dean says.

"And they show me where the demons are going to be, before it happens. How to fight back," Leah tells them.

"Never been wrong. Not once. She's very special," Gideon says proudly.

"Dad," Leah says.

"And let me guess. Before you see something, you get a really bad migraine, you see flashing lights?" Dean asks.

"How'd you know?" Leah asks, looking confused.

"'Cause you're not the first prophet we've met. But you are the cutest," Dean says, looking at Leah. Gideon gives Dean a look as Kayla hits hm round the back of the head. "I mean that with total respect, of course," Dean adds hastily, rubbing the back of his head.

In the bar Sam's leaving a message on Cas's mobile.

"You have reached the voicemail box of:" the automated voice says.

"I don't understand why, why do you want me to say my name?" Cas says and presses random buttons.

"Cas, hey, uh, it's me. So we are in Blue Earth, Minnesota, and um, we could use a little help. I…hope you get this," Sam says, looking confused.

"You got his voicemail, didn't you?" Kayla smirks, sitting down at the bar.

Sam ignores her and talks to Paul, "Busy night?"

"I'm telling you, since The End stated, it's been like one long last call," Paul says, passing Sam a beer. "That round's on me."

"Thanks," Sam smiles and walks over to Dean. Kayla groans and walks over as well.

"So, did you get a hold of Cas?" Dean asks when they sit down.

"Yeah, I left him a message. I think. So uh, what's your theory? Why all of the demon hits?" Sam says.

"I don't know. Gank the girl? The prophet, maybe? " Dean says.

"She doesn't feel like a prophet, she feel wrong," Kayla says, but is promptly ignored be the brothers. Sam shakes his head.

"What?" Dean asks.

"Just these angels are sending these people to do their dirty work," Sam replies.

"Oh you just ignore. It's not like I have something important to say," Kayla says sarcastically, but is ignored again.

"Yeah. And?" Dean asks.

"And they could get ripped to shreds," Sam says, looking at him in disbelief.

"We're all gonna die, Sam. In like a month—maybe two. I mean it. This is the end of the world, but these people aren't freaking out. In fact they're running to the exit in an orderly fashion. I don't know that that's such a bad thing," Dean says.

"Nice to know you believe in me," Kayla mutters, looking down.

"Who says they're all gonna die? Whatever happened to us saving them?" Sam asks.

Outside the church bell tolls. Everyone starts to leave the bar. The trio watch them leave.

"Something I said?" Dean asks.

"Yo Paul. What's going on?" Kayla asks.

"Leah's had another vision," Paul tells her.

"Wanna got to church?" Sam asks, looking at Dean and Kayla.

"You know me- downright pious," Dean replies. The trio stand up and leave the bar.

"Three miles off Talmadge Road," Gideon starts saying once everyone is in the church. Leah walks forward and whispers into his ear.

"Five miles. There are demons gathered. I... don't know how many, but a lot. Thank you, Leah. So, who's going to join me?"

Rob and his wife put their hands up. "Wouldn't miss it," Rob says.

Paul looks over and says, "Someone's got to cover Rob's ass."

"Me and my brother are in, Padre," Dean says.

"Thank you," Gideon says. "I'd like to offer a prayer. 'Our Father in Heaven..."

"Yeah, not so much," Dean whispers to Sam and Kayla. Sam looks around the church and sees Paul not praying.

"Help us to fight in your name. We ask that you protect us from all servants of evil. Guide our hands in defeating them, and deliver us home, safely. Thank you, Amen," Gideon continues.

As everyone prepares to leave Kayla asks, "Why did you only say you and Sam?"

Dean looks at her, "I want you to stay here. It will be safer."

"But the demons won't dare hurt me," Kayla protests.

"Kayla, please," Dean says.

"Fine," she huffs. "Just be careful and come back in one piece." The boys nod and hug her goodbye before getting in the impala and driving off. Kayla sighs and walks back to the motel. She walks over to the bed and catches up on some much needed sleep.

When Sam returns, Dean is sitting on the bed next to Kayla.

"Where have you been?" he asks quietly, so as not to disturb her.

"Drinkin'," Sam replies.

"You rebel," he says.

"I'd have had more, um, but it was curfew," Sam replies.

"Right," Dean says, rubbing his eyes.

"No. That's, uh, news to me," Dean says, his tone disinterested.

"Yeah. No cable, internet. Total cut off from the 'corruption of the outside world'," Sam says.

"Huh," is Dean's only reply.

"Don't you get it? They're turning this place into some kind of fundamentalist compound," Sam says.

"No, I get it," Dean says.

"And all you've got's a "hmm?" What's wrong with you?" Sam asks, looking shocked.

"I get it. I just don't care," Dean says.

"What?" Sam asks.

"What difference does it make?" Dean asks, sitting on the edge of the bed.

" It makes a hell of a..." Sam begins. "At what point does this become too far for you? Stoning? Poisoned Kool-Aid? The angels are toying with these people!"

"Angel world, angel rules, man," Dean shrugs.

"And since when is that okay with you?" Sam asks, looking shocked.

"Since the angels' got the only lifeboats on the Titanic," Dean snaps, getting up. "I mean, who exactly is supposed to come along and save these people? It was supposed to be us, but we can't do it. "

"So what? You wanna, you wanna just want to stop fighting, roll over?"

"I don't know, maybe."

"Don't say that."

"Why not?"

"Cause you can't do this."

"Actually, I can. "

"No you can't. You can't do this to me."

"I got one thing, one thing, keeping me going. You think you're the only one white-knuckling it here, Dean? I can't count on anyone else. I can't do this alone."

Dean grabs his coat and walks towards the door. "Dean," Sam calls.

"I got to clear my head," Dean says and opens the door.

"It's past curfew," Sam says as the door shuts.

"It's past curfew," he says as again as Kayla wakes up, jumping at the noise of the door shutting.

Sam digs a book out of his bag as Kayla sits up on the bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"I got your message," Castiel says, suddenly appearing in the room. "It was long, your message. And I find the sound of your voice grating." Kayla looks at him.

"Are you drunk?" she asks.

"No!…Yes," Cas says.

"What the hell happened to you?" Sam asks.

"I found a liquor store," Cas replies shakily.

"And?" Sam asks.

"And I drank it. Why'd you call me?" he asks, walking forward and nearly falling over.

"Whoa," Sam says, steadying him. "There you go. Easy. Are you okay? "

Cas beckons him down to his level so he can whisper in his ear, "Don't ask stupid questions. Tell me what you need."

"t-there have been these- these demon attacks. Massive, right on the edge of town. And we can't figure out why they're..." Sam begins.

"Any sign of angels?" Cas interrupts.

"Sort off. They're been talking to this prophet," Sam says.

"Who?" Cas asks.

"This girl, Leah Gideon," Sam tells him.

"She's not a prophet," Cas says.

"Told you," Kayla says smugly.

"I'm pretty sure that she is. Visions, headaches- the whole package," Sam says, ignoring her.

"The names of _all_ the prophets, they're seared into my brain. Leah Gideon is not one of them," Cas tells him

"Then what is she?" Sam asks.

"That's a very good question," Kayla says, happy that someone is finally listening to her.

Not long after, Dean comes back.

"We went out looking for you," Sam says, he then spots the blood on his hands. "You alright?"

Dean looks down, "Yeah. It's-it's not my blood. Paul's dead."

"What?" Kayla screeches, looking upset.

"Jane shot him," Dean tells her.

"It's starting," Cas says from where he's sitting on the couch with Kayla sitting next to him.

"What's starting? Where the hell have you been?" Dean asks, looking down at him.

"On a bender," Cas says.

"Did he- did you just say 'on a bender'?" Dean asks, looking between Cas and Sam.

"Yeah. He's still pretty smashed," Sam says.

"It is not of import," Cas interrupts as Kayla giggles. "We need to talk about what's happening here."

"Well I'm all ears," Dean says.

"Well, for starters... Leah is not a real prophet," Sam begins.

"Told you so," Kayla grins up at Dean.

"Well, what is she, exactly?" Dean asks, rolling his eyes at Kayla and washing his hands.

"The whore," Cas replies.

"Wow. Cas, tell us what you really think," Dean says as Kayla giggles.

"She rises when Lucifer walks the earth," Cas starts.

"Trust my brother to raise a whore," Kayla interrupts.

Cas gives her a look and continues, "'And she shall come, bearing false prophecy.' This creature has the power to take a human's form, read minds. Book of Revelation calls her 'the Whore of Babylon'."

"Well that's catchy," Dean says.

"The real Leah was probably killed months ago," Sam says.

"What about the demons attacking the town?" Dean asks Cas.

"They're under her control," Cas tells them.

"And the Enokian exorcism?" Dean asks.

"It's not an exorcism," Kayla says. "I don't what it means, but it's definitely not an exorcism."

"It means, 'you, um, breed with the mouth of a goat'," Cas says. He smiles and Kayla laughs. They look at the brothers and realise that they aren't laughing.

"It's funnier in Enokian," Cas admits.

"So the demons smoking out—that's just a con? Why? What's the endgame?" Dean asks.

"What you just saw—innocent blood spilled in God's name," Cas says.

"She better not go after the children," Kayla growls.

"You heard all that heaven talk. She manipulates people," Sam says.

" To slaughter and kill and sing preppy little hymns. Awesome," Dean groans.

"Her goal is to condemn as many souls to hell as possible. And it's…just beginning. She's well on her way to dragging this whole town into the pit," Cas says, glancing over at Kayla.

"Alright. So, then, how do we go Pimp of Babylon all over this bitch?" Dean asks as Kayla groans. Cas disappears.

That night he reappears and puts a wooden stake down on the table infront of the trio.

"The whore can be killed with that. It's a stake made from a cypress tree in Babylon," Cas tells them.

"Great. Let's ventilate her," Dean says, standing up.

"It's not that easy," Cas says, getting a drink of water.

"'Course not," Dean groans.

"The whore can only be killed by a true Servant of Heaven," he explains.

"Servant, like..." Dean says.

"Not you. Or me. Maybe Kayla, but I'm not going to let her near the whore. Sam, of course, is an abomination. We'll have to find someone else," Cas elaborates.

Cas reappears in the room with Gideon.

"What the hell was that?" he asks, looking shocked.

"Yeah, he wasn't lying about the angel thing. Have a seat, Padre. We got to have a chat," Dean says. Gideon walks over to the couch and sits down. The trio and Cas then proceed to explain the situation to him.

Gideon looks at the stake and shakes his head, "No. She's my daughter."

"I'm sorry, but she's not. She's the thing that killed you daughter," Kayla says from where she's standing with Cas.

"That's impossible," Gideon says.

"But it's true. And deep down, you know it. Look, we get it—it's too much. But if you don't do this, she's going to kill a lot of people. And damn the rest to hell," Sam says. Dean picks up the stake and holds it out to him.

"It's just…Why does it have to be me?" Gideon asks, refusing the stake.

"You're a Servant of Heaven," Cas says.

"And you're an angel," Gideon tells him.

"Poor example of one," Cas replies. Kayla gently taps him on the arm and shakes her head.

"You're my angel," she tells him. "And you're the best one that I could ever wish for."

At the church Leah looks into a mirror in the wardrobe, revealing her true face. Cas grabs her from behind and holds her still for Gideon.

"Daddy! Don't hurt me!" she cries.

"Gideon, now!" Sam yells.

"Pizin noco iad," Leah chants in Enokian. Cas cries out and falls to the floor. Leah then uses a form of telekinesis to push away Gideon, Sam, Dean and Kayla. She runs off while they get up. Gideon, Sam and Dean run after her while Kayla runs over to Cas. She pulls him onto her lap.

"I've got you brother," she whispers into his ear, trying to comfort him. It is obvious that he is still in pain. "I'm gonna kill that bitch," she growls. Cas holds onto her tighter, silently telling her to stay. She nods and pulls him closer. Soon, Sam, Dean and Gideon return. Dean helps Cas up while Sam is supporting Gideon. Kayla helps Dean support Cas and they walk outside. As they walk up the stairs to get to the impala Sam and Dean talk.

"Dean, how did you do that?" Sam asks.

"What?" Dean asks.

"Kill her," Sam replies. Kayla quickly looks over at Dean, her eyes wide.

"Long run of luck held out, I guess," Dean says.

"Last I checked, she could only be ganked by a servant of Heaven," Sam says, sharing a look with Kayla.

"Well, what do you want me to tell you? I saw a shot. I went for it," Dean says as they reach the impala. Kayla gets in the car first and helps Dean get Cas in. She then helps Gideon. She can still her Sam and Dean talking outside.

"Are you gonna do something stupid?" Sam asks.

"Like what?" Dean asks.

"Like Michael stupid," Sam replies.

"Come on, Sam. Give me a break," Dean says. The boys then get in the impala.

When they get back to the motel, Sam and Dean tend to Gideon while Kayla sits on the bed with Cas.

"You alright now?" she asks quietly.

"I will be," he replies. He takes her hand in his and squeezes it gently. When she hears the impala and Sam shouting after him, Kayla closes her eyes, allowing a single tear to fall. 


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Rewritten-

Sam, Dean, Kayla, Cas and Bobby are sitting in the study a Bobby's house. Bobby and Sam are sitting down. Dean is pacing around the room and Cas and Kayla are standing to the side.

"Yeah, no, this is good. Really. You know, eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens," Dean says, walking over and leaning on the wall.

"Can I hit him?" Kayla asks, looking up at Cas. Cas shakes his head.

"You ain't helpin'," Bobby says, not looking up from the book he is reading.

"Yeah, well, why don't you let me get out of your hair, then?" Dean asks, smirking.

"What the hell happened to you?" Bobby asks, looking up at him.

" Reality happened," Dean says, standing up. " Nuclear's the only option we have left. Michael can ice the devil, save a boatload of people."

"But not _all_ of them. We gotta think of something else," Bobby argues.

Dean glances at Sam before saying, "Yeah, well, that's easy for you to say. But if Lucifer burns this mother down, and I coulda done something about it, guess what? That's on me."

"You can't give up, son," Bobby says kindly.

Dean shakes his head and says, "You're not my father. And you ain't in my shoes."

Bobby's face falls and he looks away. Sam looks at Dean and shakes his head.

"Seriously, can I hit him?" Kayla asks, walking forward. Cas pulls her back.

"Not yet," he whispers in her ear.

Bobby pulls out a gun out of his desk and sets it on the table. He takes a bullet out of his pocket and looks at it.

"What is that?" Dean asks, also looking at it.

"That's the round that I mean to put through my skull," Bobby says, putting the bullet down on the desk infront of him. "Every morning, I look at it. I think, "Maybe today's the day I flip the lights out." But I don't do it. I _never_ do it. You know why? Because I promised _you_ I wouldn't give up!" Dean looks away guiltily. Suddenly, Cas grabs his head and hunches over in pain. Kayla supports him.

"Cas, you okay?" Sam asks.

"No," Cas replies.

"What's wrong?" Sam asks.

"Something's happening," Cas replies, standing up straight again.

"I feel it too," Kayla says, looking at Cas.

"Where?" Dean asks. Cas looks at him and then at Kayla.

"Go. I'll be fine," she tells him. Cas nods and disappears.

Sam sighs and gets up. He walks into the kitchen.

"Hey Kayla," Dean begins. Kayla glares at him before walking over and sitting in the seat Sam just vacated. She then proceeds to ignore him. Dean shakes his head and walks into the kitchen. He walks over to the fridge, but Sam is standing in the way.

"I'm gonna get a beer, do you mind?" Dean says. Sam doesn't answer, he just moves out of the way. Suddenly, the papers on Bobby's desk start blowing about and Cas appears, carrying a body.

"Help," he says, putting the body on the bed in the study.

"Boys!" Bobby calls as Sam and Dean run in. Kayla stands up and walks over to stand next to Cas.

"Who is it?" Bobby and Kayla ask, looking up at Sam and Dean.

"That's our brother," Sam says as the brothers step forward. Dean and Cas glance at each other as everyone stares at the person on the bed.

"Wait a minute. Your brother? Adam?" Bobby asks, skeptically.

"Cas, what the hell?" Dean asks, looking at Cas.

"Angels," Cas says, putting two angel swords on Bobby's desk. Kayla looks at them in horror before looking at Cas closely, checking for injuries.

"Angels, why?" Sam asks, looking confused.  
>"I know one thing for sure. We need to hide him now," Cas says, walking over to Adam. Cas places his hand on Adam's chest, carving the Enokian symbols into his ribs. As Cas finishes, Adam wakes up, gasping for air.<p>

"Where am I?" Adam asks, sitting up.

"It's okay. Just relax, you're safe," Kayla says, walking over to the bed and sitting next to Adam. She lays her hand on his arm and gently squeezes it. He smiles weakly at her before asking Sam and Dean,

"Who the hell are you?"

"You're going to find this a little...a lot crazy, but we're actually your brothers," Dean says.

"It's the truth. John Winchester was our father, too. See, I'm Sam—" Sam says, backing Dean up.

"Yeah, and I'm sure that's Dean. I know who you are," Adam interrupts.

"How?" Sam asks, looking confused.

"They warned me about you," Adam says.

"Who did?" Kayla asks.

Adam glances at her before answering, "The angels. Now where the hell is Zachariah?" Dean and Sam glance at each and Kayla looks up at Cas.

"Y'know what Adam?" Kayla asks. "Why don't you go and get cleaned up? And we'll discuss this whole thing after." Adam nods his head and gets up. Kayla looks at Sam. "Sam will show you where it is, won't you Sam?"Kayla's tone leaves no room for discussion. Sam nods and leads Adam out of the room. Kayla sighs and rubs her forehead. "Bloody Winchesters!" she mutters. A phone starts to ring.

"Not me," Dean says after checking his phone.

"It's me," Kayla says and walks out the room. She passes Adam and Sam as she walks out the house. She nods to Sam and smiles at Adam, who smiles back.

"Hello?" she asks as she answers the phone.

"_Hey Kayla. It's me."_

"Hey Christine," Kayla grins. "How ya doing?"

"_Not too good, actually," Christine says._

"What's wrong?" Kayla asks worriedly.

"_Can I meet up with you?" Christine asks._

"Yeah, can you meet in the clearing?" Kayla asks.

"_Yeah, sure, see in about 15 minutes," Christine answers._

"See you then," Kayla smiles.

"Hey, I'm going out. I'll see you later," Kayla yells through the kitchen door. She then pockets her phone and walks to the clearing.

Christine's not there when Kayla arrives. Kayla shrugs and lies down on the floor. She closes her eyes and enjoys the feeling of safety she gets everytime she's there.

"Hey Kayla." Kayla opens her eyes and sees Christine standing over her. She pats the ground beside her and Christine lies down.

"What's wrong?" Kayla asks, looking over at her.

"It's my parents. They've gone missing. The sheriff has got everyone looking for them, but no-one can find them," Christine says as she starts to cry. Kayla sits up and pulls Christine into a hug.

"Why didn't you call me?" Kayla asks queitly.

"You've got all this angel crap. My problem isn't important," Christine sobs.

"Hey," Kayla says, pulling away. "You're my best friend. Any problem you have is also my problem."

"I miss you, Kayla," Christine admits. "It's been quiet without you."

Christine suddenly grins, "I'm not the only one. Jack's been missing you too."

"He has?" Kayla asks, looking surprised. "But we broke up like a month before I left."

"Well, he has been missing you big time. He's beeen writing poetry and everything," Christine says.

"Poetry!" Kayla giggles.

The girls spend the rest of the day talking. As night begins to fall Christine says, "I'd better be getting back to my uncle's. Call me when you can."

"Bye, Christine. Will do," Kayla says. Christine gets up and leaves. Kayla stays where she is for a few more minutes before getting up. She walks back to Bobby's. When she walks in Adam is sitting alone at the table, he looks pissed. Kayla frowns and walks over.

"Hey, Adam, you alright?" she asks, looking concerned.

He looks up at her, "Yeah. I'm fine."

Kayla smiles softly and sits down, "You don't look fine."

"It's just that... these people are complete strangers and they're telling me what to do," Adam says. Kayla reaches over and grabs his hands. She gently squeezes them, causing him to look up.

"They just worry about you."

"What's so bad about me killing Lucifer?" Adam asks. "Yeah, a lot of people die. But if I don't say yes, then everyone dies."

"Hey Adam, do you know who I am? Cause I'm not human," Kayla tells him. "I'm a fallen archangel. Lucifer is my older brother and I love him." Adam looks at her in shock.

"Can you promise me something?" she asks him.

"Yeah, sure," he replies.

"Never say yes," she says. "Cause losing my brother once made me go mad with grief and I fell from heaven, and that's with the possibility that I may see him again. If I lose him, or even Michael, I won't survive."

Adam looks at her in shock. Kayla smiles softly and shakes her head. "Sorry about that, it's just for the past several months all anyone's talked about is killing my brother. And you know what? They forget that he's my brother!" Kayla looks at the time. "You've had a long day, do you wanna got to bed?"

Adam nods, "I am pretty tired." Kayla smiles and leads him over to the bed. He lies down and when Kayla goes to leave, he reaches out and grabs her arm.

"Don't go," he says.

"I'm not going anywhere," she tells him gently. She pulls a chair over and sits down next to him. Soon they are both fast asleep.

When Kayla wakes up, she is sitting a posh looking room. Sitting at the table is Adam. He's coughing up blood. "Adam!" Kayla shouts and runs over to him. "Oh Adam, what happened to you?"

"I did," someone says from behind her.

"Zachariah!" Kayla snarls and turns around. Zachariah's standing behind her, looking smug.

"I finally managed to get the chance to talk to you and this is how you greet me?" he says, looking hurt.

"You're not hurt," she scoffs. He smiles again and Kayla stiffens.

"We didn't get to finish our little talk last time and since you didn't die with the Winchesters we didn't get to finish then either. So, let's finish it now," Zachariah says.

"I've got nothing to say to you," Kayla growls.

"Listen, I only want one thing from one," Zachariah says.

"What's that?" Kayla asks, cautiously.

"I want you to die," he smiles. Kayla takes a step back. "Don't worry, I want the Winchester boys to be there when I do it. For added affect"

"Why?" Kayla gasps.

"Because you are the only one who can stop the apocalypse. And myself, and a few select others, don't want it to be stopped," Zachariah tells her. "Now, I don't want you disappearing before the boys get here so you're just gonna go to sleep for a while."

Kayla looks confused until Zachariah's fist comes flying towards her face. The impact causes her to go flying into the wall. Her last thought before losing consciousness is, "Not again."

Kayla wakes up just as Dean enters the room. He runs over to her and Adam. "Adam, Kayla, hey. Hey," he says, helping them up.

"You came for me," Adam says.

"Dean, it's a trap," Adam says s they turn around.

"I figured," Dean mutters.

Zachariah suddenly appears in front of them, "Dean, please. Did you really think it would be that easy?"

"Did you?" Dean replies. Sam comes at Zachariah with the angel-killing sword. Zachariah quickly turns around and knocks it out of his hand. He then throws Sam against the screen.

"Sam!" Dean yells as Kayla stumbles over to him, being careful to avoid Zachariah.

"You know what I've learned from this experience, Dean? Patience," Zachariah says. He then waves his hand and Adam falls to the floor, once again coughing up blood.

"Adam? Let him go you son of a bitch," Dean growls.

"I mean, I thought I was downsized for sure," Zachariah continues as Dean glances between his brothers and Kayla. "And for us, a firing...pretty damn literal. But I should have trusted the boss man. It's all playing out like he said...You, me, your haemorrhaging brothers, oh, and not forgetting the little fallen angel."

"Bite me!" Kayla growls from where she is kneeling beside Sam. Zachariah turns his fist in Sam's direction, causing him to cough up blood.

"You're finally ready, right?" he asks, walking towards Dean. Dean looks from Zachariah to Sam ad Adam, who are still coughing up blood, to Kayla. "You know there's no other choice. There's never been a choice."

"Stop it. Stop it right now!" Dean begs.

"In exchange for what?" Zachariah asks.

"Damn it, Zachariah. Stop it, please. I'll do it," Dean begs.

"I'm sorry. What was that?" Zachariah asks, holding up a hand to his ear.

"Okay, yes. The answer is yes," Dean says.

"Dean, no!" Kayla yells.

"Do you hear me? Call Michael down, you bastard!" Dean says, close to tears. He glances down at his brothers.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Zachariah asks suspiciously.

"Do I look like I'm lying?" Dean asks. Zachariah turns around, smiling smugly.

"_Zodiredo…noco…aberamage…nazodpesade… _He's coming," Zachariah says. Dean and Sam look at each other. Sam gives Dean a questioning look. Dean winks at him.

"No," they hear Kayla whispers brokenly.

"Of course, I have a few conditions," Dean says, causing Zachariah to turn around.

"What?" he asks.

"The few people whose safety you have to guarantee before I say yes," Dean says.

" Sure, fine. Make a list," Zachariah says dismissively.

"But most of all…Michael can't have me until he disintegrates you," Dean tells him.

"What did you say?" Zachariah asks, looking shocked.

"I said," Dean says, walking forward. "Before Michael gets one piece of this sweet ass…he has to turn you into a piece of charcoal."

"You really think Michael's gonna go for that?" Zachariah laughs.

"Who's more important to him now?" Dean asks. " You…or me?"

Zachariah lunges forward, grabbing Dean's coat. "You listen to me. You are nothing but a maggot inside a worm's ass. Do you know who I am…after I deliver you to Michael?"

"Expendable," Dean says.

"Michael's not gonna kill _me_," Zachariah smirks.

"Maybe not," Dean says, letting an angel-killing sword fall into his hand. "But I would."

Dean stabs Zachariah through the chin. Instantly killing him. Dean falls to the ground. Michael is still coming. Dean looks at Kayla.

"Out," he tells her. Kayla looks at the brothers before running out. She looks around for Cas, but she doesn't see him. Sam and Dean come out but the door slams shut behind them, locking Adam inside.

"No! Dean! Help! It won't open!" Adam shouts, banging on the door. Dean tries to open it, but the handle burns him everytime he tries to open it.

"Dean, help! Dean!" Adam shouts.

"Hold on! We'll get you out. Just hold on. Adam! Can you hear me?" Dean shouts back. The light fades and Dean can open the door. He opens it to find an abandoned office.

"Adam?" he asks, but the room is empty.

As the trio leave the warehouse, Kayla asks, "Where's Cas?"

"We don't know Kayla," Sam tells her. "He carved the banishing symbol into his chest. But he told us to look after you, which make me think that..." But Kayla's stopped listening, for her world has just crashed down around her ears. A single tear drops and her faith is shattered.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 Rewritten-

It has been two nights since Kayla lost Cas. She was curled up asleep on the backseat of the impala while Sam and Dean were on a hunt. She started moving restlessly, as though she was having a bad dream, when she suddenly shot up. She groans and puts her head in her hands.

"Kayla," she hears someone call quietly. She looks around, but doesn't see anyone. "Kayla." She hears it again. Kayla frowns and gets out of the impala. The moment she stands up, her surroundings change. Suddenly, she's standing in the middle of a sandy beach. Kayla glances behind her, the impala is gone. She shrugs and sits down. She folds up the bottom of her jeans and sticks her feet in the sand. Kayla looks up as someone sits down beside her. It's her brother, Lucifer.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" Kayla asks, smiling. Lucifer, however, is frowning at her.

"Oh," Kayla says, reaching up to touch her black eye. The one Zachariah had thoughtfully given her.

"Who did that to you?" Lucifer asks with barely concealed anger in his tone.

"Zachariah," Kayla tells him, moving closer.

"I'm going to kill him," Lucifer growls, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her.

"You can't," Kayla tells him. "Dean already has."

"I guess that means I have to thank him," Lucifer says. Kayla smiles and shakes her head.

"What's wrong little sister?" Lucifer asks gently.

"It's Cas, Luci," Kayla says, her eyes filling up with tears. "He's gone and I don't know if he's dead or alive." Lucifer pulls her into a hug and allows her to cry into his chest.

"When did you start calling me Luci?" he asks when Kayla runs out of tears.

"You remember when me and the Winchester's fought Famine?" Kayla asks. Lucifer nods. "Well, the thing I craved was memories, and he gave them to me." Kayla pauses and takes a deep breath. "The first memory I got back was the day you fell."

"You poor little thing, I wish you didn't have to see that but Michael wouldn't let me send you away."

"I met him a few weeks ago," Kayla says. "I still prefer you."

Lucifer chuckles, "Thank you little sister."

Kayla pulls away and jumps up. "Bet you can't catch me without cheating," she grins, running away. Lucifer rolls his eyes and gets up. He slowly walks over to Kayla, who shrieks with laughter and runs further away. Lucifer grins evilly and gives chase. Eventually, they end up in the sea. Lucifer grabs Kayla and pulls her to him. He lifts her up.

"Gottcha," he says smugly. He then drops her into the water.

"Hey!" Kayla pouts and crosses her arms. She sits there in the sea, soaking wet. She then smiles and looks up. She then splashes her brother. He laughs and splashes her back.

As the sun sets Kayla looks at her brother. "I have to wake up now, don't I?" Lucifer nods slowly. "Will I see you soon?"

"Yes, I'll make sure of it," Lucifer promises.

"Love you brother."

"Love you too little sister."

The next thing Kayla knows she's lying on the backseat of the impala. She looks up and sees Sam and Dean standing outside. Kayla smiles softly and gets out. She walks over to Dean and says,

"I don't blame you."

Dean smiles and pulls her into a hug. Kayla grins and says, "Lucifer says thanks for killing Zachariah." She feels Dean stiffen and laughs.

"He was here?" Sam asks.

"No. He was in my dream," Kayla tells them. The brothers relax.

"Don't do that," Dean scolds, pocking Kayla in the side. She giggles.

"No message for me?" Sam asks, pretending to be hurt.

"Sorry Sammy. Not today."

The trio get into the impala and drive away.

"I wonder if I'll see Gabe again anytime soon," Kayla says. A shocked silence follows.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 Rewritten-

The impala pulls up infront of a hotel. The hotel is called 'Elsian Fields'. Sam and Dean leap out of the car and run into the hotel. Kayla slowly follows. She has an umbrella up to keep her dry. She walks into the hotel and closes the umbrella. She looks at the brothers who are soaking wet and gasping for air.

"Whew. Nice digs, for once," Dean says as they walk in and look around. They walk over to the desk. "One room, three beds please," Dean asks the attendant. The attendant starts typing quickly.

"Busy night," Dean says as he watches the attendant.

"Any port in a storm, I guess," the attendant chuckles. "If you could fill this out, please."

Dean starts to fill out the form. The attendant stares at him, "Sir, I think... shaving nick there." He picks up a tissue and hands it to Dean. Dean presses it to his neck and looks at it. There is a small amount of blood on it.

"Your key," the attendant says, holding up a key.

"Thanks," Kayla smiles, taking the key.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to have a coffee shop, would you?" Dean asks.

"Buffet. All you can eat," the attendant tells him, pointing. "Best pie in the tri-state area."

"You don't say?" Dean asks, looking interested. Kayla catches Sam eye and rolls hers. Kayla and Sam walk over and sit down as Dean goes hunting for the pie. Kayla pulls a big bag of sweets from her pocket.

"Where did you get those?" Sam asks, looking shocked.

"Gabriel," Kayla grins and starts eating them. "Don't tell Dean that I've got them."

"Sam, unpucker, man," Dean says walking over. "Eat something." Kayla looks around the room. She spots a good-looking guy standing up across the room.

"Be back soon," she tells the brothers, getting up. She walks over to the man. He sees her and smiles.

"Hello there," he says.

"Hi," Kayla says shyly. "I'm Kayla."

"I'm Baldur," he replies, sticking out his hand. Kayla shakes it.

"What's a lovely young lady like you doing here?" he asks.

"I'm with my brother's friends. They're looking after me while he's away on business," Kayla replies, blushing. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm the owner of this fine establishment," Baldur tells her.

"It is lovely here," Kayla says, smiling. Baldur smiles back and looks over her shoulder.

"You're friends are waiting for you," he tells her. Kayla turns around and sees Sam and Dean standing there. Dean taps his foot, looking impatient. Kayla sticks her tongue out at him and turns back round to face Baldur.

"I've got to go now," she says. "Wil I see you later?"

"Of course," Baldur smiles. Kayla smiles back and walks over to the brothers.

"Don't say anything," she warns them. Dean shakes his head and the trio leave the room. Baldur watches them leave.

As they get to the door of their room they see a couple making out in front of their own room. Dean points at them and smiles.

"Oh, what are you, 12?" Sam asks, smiling. Kayla laughs at the look on Dean's face.

"I'm young at heart," he scoffs. He unlocks the room and the trio walk in. Dean whistles.

"Wow, look at this. We're like Rockefellers." Dean walks over to the beds and picks up the chocolate on his pillow. "Chocolates!" He looks over at Sam's pillow and then at Sam. "You want yours?"

"Knock yourself out," Sam tells him. Dean looks over at Kayla.

"Oh no you don't! That's mine!" she races over to her bed and grabs her chocolate. She sticks her tongue out at him. Dean looks at the bedside table and sees the advertisement sitting there.

"Whoa. 'Casa Erotica 13' on demand," Dean says. Sam scoffs. "What?"

"Isn't this place...in the middle of nowhere?"

"So?"

"So what's a four-star hotel doing on a no-star highway?"

A woman moans pleasurably on the other side of the wall. The trio can hear the bed thumping and chuckling. Kayla groans and covers her ears. A sudden loud thud which smashing the brick work in their room causes Kayla to shriek and fall of the bed. The trio glance at each other and walk out of their room. They walk into the room next door to find it empty.

"Hello?" Dean calls.

"Hello?" Sam calls as well.

"Where'd they go?" Kayla asks as Dean picks up a ring off of the floor. They stare at it.

"The, uh, the room next to ours - t-the couple that are, uh, joined at the lips - have you seen them?" Dean asks the front desk attendant.

"Mr and Mrs Logan- the honeymooners?" he confirms. "They checked out. Is something the matter?"

"They checked out?" Sam asks skeptically.

" Mm-hmm. Mm, just now," the attendant answers.

" Really? It sort of seemed like they were, uh..." Sam chuckles " ...in the middle of something."

"Yeah, it's kind of weird for honeymooners to, uh, check out without this," Dean says, holding up the ring.

" Oh, dear. I'll just put that right in the lost and found. Don't you worry," the attendant says, taking the ring. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Uh, no. No, we're good," Dean says.

"Super-fantastic," the attendant smiles. The trio smile awkwardly at the attendant before walking away.

"He's creepy," Kayla says.

"Yeah," Sam agrees.

"Broke the needle. All right, well, I'll scope out the joint, and you keep an eye on Norman Bates over here," Dean tells Sam. He looks at Kayla. "You're coming with me." Dean walks off with Kayla following. "I mean, one night off. Is that too much to ask?" he mutters.

Dean and Kayla walk out of the elevator. Dean pulls out an EMF detector. They pass a room with its door open and Kayla sees and elephant holding a towel. Dean continues walking as Kayla stops. She tilts her head to the side before closing her eyes and shaking her head. Dean stops and walks back a few steps. He looks into the room again and sees a man wrapping a towel around his torso.

"This ain't no peep show, man!" he exclaims.

Dean and Kayla walk back to the lobby to meet Sam.

"An elephant?" Sam asks skeptically.

"Yeah," Dean replies.

"Like, an elephant?" Sam asks again.

"Like, full-on babar," Dean replies. Kayla smirks at the reference.

"So what the hell is..." Sam's voice trails off as they enter the lobby. It is completely deserted. "Where is everybody?" He walks over to the front doors and tries to open them. They're locked.

"Let me guess-it's locked. So what; the roaches check in, but they don't check out?" Dean says.

" Think about how we got here. That detour on I-90? The friggin' hurricane?" Sam says, walking back over to Dean and Kayla.

"You saying we were led here?" Kayla asks.

"Like rats in a maze," Sam says.

The trio walk into the kitchen. Dean spots a pot of bubbling liquid.

"Please be tomato soup. Please be tomato soup," be begs, lifting the ladle, revealing eyeballs.

"Motel hell," Dean complains. Sam sees the locked freezer and slowly walks towards it. Inside he sees the rest of the hotel guests.

"Help us! Get us out!" a man yells from inside. Sam reaches into his pocket and pulls out his lock picking kit.

"Hurry up!" Dean says.

"I'm going as fast I..." Sam looks up. "As I can."

"There's somebody behind us, isn't there?" Dean groans.

The trio get dragged into the Grand Ballroom by three men. The men push them forward. They see a group of Gods: Ganesh, Odin, Kali, Baron Samedi, just to name a few. Kayla looks up and sees Baldur. She gasps.

" Something tells me this isn't a Shriner convention," Dean says, pulling Kayla behind him.

The attendant walks in, pushing a dinner tray. "Dinner is served," he says, pulling off the cover and revealing a human head. Kayla buries her head into Dean's back.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our gusts of honor have arrived," Baldur says as a spotlight is fixed on the trio.

Sam, Dean and Kayla are forced into seats. Baldur clinks a fork to his glass. "Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for coming. Although in all my centuries, I never thought I'd see this. This many Gods under one roof."

Sam, Dean and Kayla glance at each other. "Gods?" Sam whispers.

"Now, before we get down to brass tax; some ground rules. No slaughtering each other. Curb your wrath. Oh, and uh, keep your hands off the local virgins. We're, trying to keep a low profile here," Baldur continues.

"Oh, we are so...so screwed," Sam whispers.

"Now we all know why we're here," Baldur says, looking around the room. "The Judeo-Christian apocalypse looms over us. I know we've all had our little disagreements in the past. The time has come to put those aside and look toward the future. Because if we don't we won't have one. Now we do have three very valuable bargaining chips. Michael, and Lucifer's vessels and their little sister. The question is; what do we do now? Anybody have any bright ideas? Speak up. This is a safe room."

" What do we do? We kill them!" Zao Shen says in a foreign language.

" Kill'em? What, so the angels can bring the back again?" Ganesh laughs.

"I don't know what every body's getting so worked up about! 'Cause it's just a couple of angels having a slap fight! There's no Armageddon. Everybody knows, when the world comes to an end, the Great Serpent Jormungandr rises up, and I myself will be eaten by a big wolf!" Odin says, laughing when he's finished.

"Here we go... " Zao Shen sighs, still speaking in the foreign language.

" Oh yeah? And why is that? Because your beliefs are so much more realistic? The whole worlds getting carried around on the back of a giant turtle? Ha! Give me a break!" Odin argues.

"Don't mock my world turtle," Zao Shen growls.

"What are you gonna do about it?"

"I'm gonna send you packing to Valhalla!"

" You watch your mouth when you talk to me boy!"

"Boy? I'm older than you."

"No one's ever proved that."

As Odin and Zao Shen argue, Sam, Dean and Kayla slowly and quietly move from their seats and attempt to exit the room without being noticed. As they near the door, a chandelier falls in front of them with a loud crash, causing Kayla to scream.

"Stay," Kali tells them, standing up. "We have to fight. The archangels, the only thing they understand is violence. This ends in blood. There is no other way, it's them, or us."

"With all due respect, ma'am, we haven't even tried talking to them," Mercury says. He begins to choke up blood.

"Kali," Baldur stops her from killing Mercury.

"Who asked you?" she asks Mercury.

The doors to the room swing open to reveal Gabriel. "Can't we all just get along," he says.

"Gab-" Dean starts but is cut off, choking on the word. Kayla tilts her head and looks at him.

"Sam! Dean! Kayla...it's always wrong place, worst time with you mutton head huh?" Gabriel says, looking at them.

"Loki," Baldur says, standing up.

"Baldur," Gabriel says, walking forward. "Good seeing you too. I guess my invitation got lost in the mail."

"Why are you here?" Baldur asks him.

"To talk about the elephant in the room," Gabriel says."Not you." He says to Ganesh who begins to stand up, looking indignant. "The Apocalypse," Gabriel continues. "We can't stop it gang. But first things first." Gabriel turns round to look at Sam, Dean and Kayla. "The adults need to have a little conversation, check you later." Gabriel clicks his fingers and the trio appear in their room.

"O.K. Did that- Holy crap!" Dean exclaims as Kayla goes to sit down on the couch.

"Yeah, tell me about it. By the way, next time I say lets keep driving, uh, lets keep driving," Sam says.

"O.K. Yeah. Next time," Dean agrees, somewhat sarcastically.

"Alright so whats our next move?" Sam asks.

"I-I-I... I don't know. Grab those poor saps outta the freezer, I guess? Bust'em out? Gank a few freaks along the way if we're lucky?" Dean says.

"And when are you ever lucky?" Gabriel asks, appearing next to Kayla on the couch.

"Gabriel!" Kayla says and hugs him.

"Good to see ya again kiddo," Gabriel says. He pulls back and sees her black eye. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes turning dark.

Kayla rolls her eyes, "Zachariah punched me after telling me that he wanted to kill me. Then Dean killed him."

"I should've known. I mean this had your stink all over it from the jump," Dean says.

"You think I'm behind this?" Gabriel asks, standing up, pulling Kayla with him. "Please. I'm the Costner to your Houston. I'm here to save your ass."

"You wanna pull us outta the fire?" Dean asks.

"Bingo! Those guys are either gonna dust you, or use you as bait. Either way; you're uber boned," Gabriel tells him.

"Wow, cause a couple of months ago you were telling us that we need to "play our roles". You're uber boning us!" Dean says.

"Ohh... The end is still nigh. Michael and Lucifer are gonna dance the lambada, but not tonight. Not here," Gabriel says.

"Not ever," Kayla tells him firmly. Gabriel holds up his hands in the surrender position.

"And why do you care?" Dean asks.

"I don't, care. But, me and Kali we, uh, had a thing. Chick was all hands. What can I say? I'm sentimental," Gabriel says, standing there awkwardly. Kayla makes a disgusted noise and pretends to through up. Gabriel rolls his eyes at her antics and pushes her back onto the couch. She sticks out her tongue at him.

"Do they have a chance?" Sam asks Gabriel, ignoring Kayla. " Against Satan?"

"Really Sam?" Dean asks skeptically.

"You got a better idea Dean?" Sam retaliates.

"It's a bad idea," Gabriel tells him. "Lucifer's gonna turn them into finger paint. So lets get going, while the going's good, hmm?"

"O.K. Great, why don't you just zap us outta here then? " Dean asks.

"Would if I could, but Kali's got you by the short and curlys. It's a blood spell. You boys are on a leesh," Gabriel tells them. He turns to Kayla, "You however can be zapped out. For some reason, she left you alone."

"What does that mean?" Dean asks. Kayla looks at her brother and groans, already having an idea at what he's up to.

"It means it's time for a bit of the old, black magic," Gabriel says. He spritzes his mouth with breathe spray.

"Okay, yeah well, whatever. Well we're gonna take the hors d'oeuvres in the freezer with us," Dean says.

"Forget it. It's gonna be hard enough sneaking you mooks outta here," Gabriel tells him.

"They called you Loki right?" Dean asks. "Which means they don't really know who you are?"

"Told you. I'm in witness protection," Gabriel says, not knowing where Dean was going.

" O.K., well then how bout you do what we say, or we tell the uh, legion of doom about your secret identity. They don't seem like a real pro-angel kinda crowd," Dean says.

"I'll take your voices away," Gabriel argues.

"We'll write it down," Dean argues back.

"I'll cut off your hands," Gabriel replies.

"Oh God!" Kayla groans, walking over to the bed and throwing herself on it in despair.

"Well then, people are gonna be asking; why you guys running around with no hands?" Dean says, ignoring Kayla's outburst.

Gabriel looks at Sam and Dean. "Fine," he concedes. "Back Kayla's staying here until you're ready to leave."

"Fine by me," Kayla says, pulling out her phone.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean says. "Who are you calling?"

"My best friend Christine," Kayla tells him, showing him the number. "See you soon," she calls as they leave the room. Kayla presses the dial button.

"_Hello?"Christine answers._

"Collard!" Kayla exclaims.

"_Hey Kayla," Christine says, sounding amused._

"How ya been?" Kayla asks.

"_Fine," Christine replies._

"Have you found your parents yet?" Kayla asks.

"_Yeah, their bodies were found yesterday. The funeral's next week, but I don't think that I'm gonna stick around that long," Christine tells her._

"Oh Christine, honey, I'm so sorry," Kayla says softly.

"_S'alright, I mean, it wasn't like we were really close or anything. I was always closer to you and your parents," Christine replies._

"Hey Christine," Kayla asks, mischief leaking into her tone. "I know what can cheer you up."

"_Yes Kayla?" Christine asks wearily._

"Do you wanna help me, Sam, Dean and two of my brothers stop the apocalypse?"

_#2Uh, yeah, okay, sure."_

"YAY!" Kayla squeals delightedly. "Next time we visit Bobby, I'll go and get you."

"_Okay Kayla. Hey I have to go. I'll speak to you soon, okay."_

"Speak to you soon, hon," Kayla says, hanging up. Suddenly, the door to her room crashes open. Two gods walk inside. Kayla gets up off the bed.

"Guys, let's take a moment and think about this," she starts to say. The gods ignore her and grab her arms. They drag her out of the room and down to the Ballroom.

"Not again!" Kayla groans, going limp in their arms to make their jobs harder. When they enter she sees Sam, Dean and Gabriel already there.

"So much for the rescue party!" she mutters as they push her down in a chair next to Dean.

Kayla looks over at her brother as Kali pulls his sword out of his pocket.

"An archangel's blade. From the archangel, Gabriel," Kali says.

"What did I miss?" Kayla asks.

"Okay, okay! So I got wings, like kotex. But that doesn't make me any less right about Lucifer," Gabriel says.

"He's lying. He's a spy," Kali says.

"I'm not a spy," Gabriel says, looking at her. "I'm a runaway. I'm trying to save you. I know my brother Kali. He should scare the living crap out of you, you can't beat him. I've skipped ahead, seen how this story ends—"

Kayla watches Kali wearily as she begins to speak, "Your story. Not ours. Westerners, I swear. The sheer arrogance. You think you're the only ones on earth? You pillage and you butcher in your Gods name. But you're not the only religion, and he's not the only God. And now you think you can just rip the planet apart? You're wrong. There are billions of us. An we were here first. If anyone gets to end this world, it's me. I'm sorry." Suddenly, Kali stabs Gabriel with the sword. He looks at her in horror as he is engulfed in white light. Within seconds, he is dead. Kayla stares at his body, the colour drains from her face.

"No!" she screams.

"This is crazy," Mercury says.

"They can die," Kali says. "We can kill Lucifer." The sound of her brother's name snaps Kayla out of her daze. She stands up, shaking with barely contained fury.

"You bitch!" she growls. "I'm going to kill you! And it will be slow. Oh, will it be slow!" Kayla walks towards Kali. Sam and Dean look at each other as they feel the anger rolling off of her- the anger of an archangel.

"All right you primitive screwheads, listen up," Dean says, pulling Kayla away from Kali.

"Are you outta your mind?" Sam asks, looking up at Dean as he pulls Kayla onto his lap.

"I'm outta options," Dean replies. "Now on any other given day, I'd be doing my damndest to uh, kill you. You filthy murdering chimps. But, uh, hey, desperate times. So even though I'd love nothing better than to slit your throats, you dicks, I'm gonna help you. I'm going to help you ice the devil. And then we can all get back to ganking each other, like normal. You want Lucifer, well, dudes not in the yellow pages. But me, Sam and Kayla, we can get him here."

"How?" Kali asks.

"First you let those main courses go. Then we talk. We can either take on the devil together, or you lame ass bitches can eat me," Dean says."Literally."

As Dean releases the captured people and the other gods leave the room, Sam and Kayla stay with Baldur and Kali. Kayla glares at Kali.

"If you're going to kill, will you just do it already" Kali says, looking over at Kayla.

"Don't worry, I'm going to kill you. I'm just waiting for the opportune moment. Afterall I want it to be slow," Kayla smirks.

Sam looks at her, "You really look like you brother right now." Kayla doesn't answer, she just continues glaring at Kali.

"So you're going to summon Lucifer," Kali says, turning to look at Sam.

"Sort of. I just need you to squeegee some stuff from my ribs and he'll come running," Sam says.

"Breaking them would be easier," Kali states.

"Do you want to die?" Kayla asks as Dean walks in.

"Shows over. Swords a fake, and Gabriel, he's still kicking. I hate to break it to you sister but you've been tricked," he says.

"Gabriel's alive!" Kayla shrieks, sounding really pissed off. Suddenly, the lights begin to flicker.

"What's happening?" Baldur asks, walking forward. Kayla looks around and grins.

"My big brother just arrived, and boy is he pissed off!"

"How?" Kali asks.

" Does it matter? Shazzam us outta here would ya?" Dean asks desperately.

"We can't," Baldur says.

"Of course you can't. You didn't say mother may I," Lucifer says, walking in. " Sam, Dean, good to see you again."

"Luci!" Kayla smiles, running forward. "Ew, you're covered in blood."

"It's good to see you too Kayla," Lucifer smiles at her. He looks behind her and pulls her to the side.

" Baldur, don't," Kali warns as Baldur walks forward.

"You think you own the planet? What gives you the right?" Baldur growls. Lucifer shoves his hand through Baldur's chest.

"No one gives us the right, we take it," he says. He then throws Baldur's body to the ground.

"Oh man, why is it always the fit guys?" Kayla moans.

Kali becomes enraged, engulfing her arms in fire. She throws it at Lucifer. Sam and Dean run for cover and find it behind an over turned table. The flames dissipate to reveal an undamaged Lucifer and Kayla. Kayla looks at herself, amazed that she is unharmed. Lucifer hits Kali with an uppercut to the chin, which sends her flying. He then glances back at her and nods. Kayla watches as Lucifer is about to stomp on Kali, when, suddenly, he is blown backwards, crashing into Kayla. They fly backwards through the doors. They look up to see Gabriel standing there.

"Luci, I'm home." He looks over at Kayla and winces, "Sorry Kiddo." Lucifer gets up and walks forward, still intent on killing Kali. However, Gabriel quickly steps infront of her.

"Not this time," he warns, holding up his blade. Lucifer pauses. While keeping an eye on Lucifer, Gabriel bends down and helps Kali up.

"Guys!" he calls. Sam and Dean walk forwards. "Get them outta here." He passes Kali over to the brothers and walks infront of them while they leave. As they leave, Dean bends down and helps Kayla up. He pulls her along as they run. As they exit the building, Kayla pauses and looks back. She watches as Dean and Kali argue. She watches as they get in the car. She hesitates for a moment before running back inside.

"Kayla?" she hears Dean shout.

"Go!" she shouts back. She looks forward and runs faster than she's ever run before. As she runs she can hear her brothers talking.

"Gabriel, if you're doing this for Michael," Lucifer begins to threaten, causing Kayla to speed up.

"Screw him. If he were standing here, I'd shiv his ass too," Gabriel interrupts.

"You disloyal..." Lucifer begins.

"Oh I'm loyal. To them!" Gabriel interrupts again.

"Who? These, so called Gods?" Lucifer asks skeptically.

"To people, Lucifer. People," Gabriel replies.

"So you're willing to die, for a pile of cockroaches. Why?"

"Because Dad was right. They are better than us."

"They are broken. Flawed! Abortions," Lucifer says as Kayla reaches the doors. She stands just out of sight and listens in.

"Damn right they're flawed," Gabriel says. "But a lot of them try. To do better, to forgive. And you should see the spearmint rhino! I've been riding the pine a long time. But I'm in the game now, and I'm not on your side, or Michaels. I'm on theirs."

"Brother, don't make me do this," Lucifer begs.

"No one makes us do anything," Gabriel says.

"I know you think you're doing the right thing Gabriel," Lucifer says. "But I know where your heart truly lies." Kayla peaks round the door and sees another Gabriel sneaking up behind Lucifer. As he lunges forward, Lucifer turns around and catches his arm. But before he can kill Gabriel, Kayla screams, "Brother no!" She runs forward and grabs Lucifer's arm. She then pushes herself between her brothers. "Don't you dare!" Lucifer and Gabriel stare at her in shock. "I won't lose another brother, especially not one of you two." Gabriel and Lucifer look at each other and nod.

"We won't fight anymore," they say in unison.

"Good," Kayla nods. She turns to Gabriel. "We should go back to the Winchester's." Gabriel nods. Kayla turns back to Lucifer as Gabriel puts his arm around her waist. "Love you Luci," she smiles and disappears.

They reappear behind Sam and Dean.

"Horsemen huh?" Dean is saying. "Well we got War's. We nicked That's two down. Collect all four? So all we need is Pestilence and Death."

Kayla looks up at Gabriel confused as Sam says, "Oh is that all?"

"Hey guys, change of plan," Gabriel says. Dena and Sam whip round and stare at him amazed.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Dean asks.

"Well yeah. But Kayla decided to be awkward and save me," Gabriel says.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Kayla says turning round. She pulls back her hand and slaps Gabriel right in the face, making him stagger back a few steps.

"You let me think that you were dead?" she screams at him. "You couldn't have warned me or told me telepathically? But no! You had to leave me thinking that you were dead!"

"Kayla, calm down," Gabriel begins.

"And then you try to have a death match with Lucifer!" Kayla continues, ignoring him. "How could you? You know that losing another brother will destroy me, but still you do it anyway!" Tears start running down her face. Gabriel sighs and pulls her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," he whispers in her ear. "Right! Change of plan boys. You find the rings while I look for Kayla's grace," he says to the brothers. He looks down at her, "We won't kill Lucifer." Kayla smiles at him tearfully. They pack up the laptop and get in the impala. Gabriel getting in as well. Dean starts the engine and they drive off. 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 Rewritten-

A few days after Kayla saved Gabriel's life, the trio pull into Bobby's salvage yard. Dean leans over and wakes Kayla up.

"We're here," he tells her. She nods sleepily and pulls out her phone.

"_See you in a few minutes," _she texts Christine.

"Hey guys," she says to Sam and Dean. "I'm gonna go and get my friend."

"Be back soon," Dean tells her. The brothers then go inside to tell Bobby about the Horsemen rings. Kayla walks out of the salvage yard and down the road. She's walking when she suddenly feels a hand on her shoulder. Kayla shrieks and turns around. Gabriel's standing behind, going into fits of laughter. Kayla glares at him.

"What the hell do you want?" she snaps.

"I just want to spend time with my baby sister. Is that a crime these days?" Gabriel says, trying to look innocent. Kayla glares at him and carries on walking.

"Where ya goin'?" he asks, catching up.

"To see my friend. She's gonna help us get my grace back," Kayla tells him.

"Well then, let's go," he says. He pulls her to him and they disappear. They then reappear infront of Christine's house. Kayla walks up to the door and knocks. Christine opens it almost immediately. She holds up a bag.

"Ready to go," she grins. She then looks behind Kayla. "Who's that?"

"This is my brother, Gabriel. Gabriel, this is Christine. Be nice," she introduces them.

They nod at each other. "Let's go!" Gabriel grins. He pulls Kayla to him again and touches Christine on the forehead. They reappear just outside Bobby's front door.

"I've gotta go, kiddo," Gabriel tells her. "See you later."

"Bye bro," Kayla grins. Gabriel leaves as the girls walk in.

They spend the next couple of hours introducing everyone and getting Christine settled in. Kayla's sitting in the kitchen when Christine walks in.

"Hey Kayla," she says. "I just got a text. And I think you're gonna want to see it." Christine holds out the phone. Kayla takes it and looks at the message.

'_Protect my baby sister or else. Signed her big brother Lucifer, aka the Devil.'_

"He can text!" Kayla shrieks. "Why doesn't he text me?"

The reply is instantaneous, _'I can't be bothered.'_

"You bastard!" Kayla yells at the phone.

'_Watch your language.'_

"What?"

'_You heard.'_

"I hate you!"

'_No you don't.'_

Kayla screams in frustration as Dean says, "Is it just me or is she arguing with a phone?"

"Shut up Dean!" she yells. Christine shakes her head in amusement.

"Is it always like this?" she asks.

"With Kayla around, yeah definitely," Sam replies. Kayla copies Lucifer's number onto her phone and throws Christine's back to her. They all walk back into the living room

"Tell me that you've got something," Dean begs Bobby. "The sooner we get rid of Satan, the better."

Kayla flips out. "Oi! Y'know, you're all forgetting one very important thing. While he's just the 'Devil' to you, to me he's a brother. He's the one who raised me. So show a bit of respect will you!" Kayla storms out.

"She's righ you know," Christine says. "You do forget that he's her brother. So if you want to talk about killing, put it delicately will you." Christine then leaves to find Kayla. She finds her sitting outside, holding her crucifix.

"I just want my brother to be alright. Is that such a terrible thing?" she asks Christine. Tears stream down her face.

"No, of course it isn't," Christine assures her, sitting down and wrapping an arm around her. "He's your brother and he raised you. Of course you want him to be alright."

Kayla smiles shakily, "I guess we better go back in." Christine nods and they get up and walk in.

"Hey Kayla, we're so sorry. We promise that we won't be so rude again," Dean says, walking over. He pulls her into a hug.

"S'okay Dean. He is the Devil afterall," Kayla tells him.

"I've got a lead on Pestilence. He's heading east," Bobby says.

"Let's go," Kayla says. "Christine, is it alright if you stay behind on this one? You haven't had any training yet and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Okay Kayla," Christine agrees. They hug each other goodbye and she walks out of the door with Sam and Dean. They get into the impala and drive away.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Rewritten-

The trio walk into a hospital waiting room. They are wearing masks.

"Check it out-I look like the king of pop," Dean says. Sam and Kayla sigh. "Too soon," Dean chuckles.

"Too soon," Sam agrees.

"Don't get me wrong- I'm glad the CDC is here, but what we really need is vaccine," the doctor says as they stop. Kayla looks around the room and sees a little boy over in the corner. She walks over and crouches down.

"Hey, are you sick too, huh?" she asks kindly. The boy nods. Kayla sighs and stands up. She picks up the kid and sits down with him on her lap. The kid snuggles into her. Kayla keeps an ear out for the boys conversation while comforting the kid.

"Well, tell me, have you noticed anything unusual about the strain. Any signs of behavioural change, like aggression maybe?" Kayla hears Sam ask the doctor.

"Excuse me?" the doctor asks, sounding sceptical.

"Have the flu victims shown any signs of, uh, homicidal tendencies?" Dean asks bluntly.

"Uh... symptomatically speaking, we're looking at a relatively mild case of swine flu here," the doctor says, chuckling. "Probably add up to a miserable week off work, and that's about it."

"So nothing unusual," Dean confirms.

"Hmm. Day and a half ago, we didn't have a single case," the doctor says. "Now we're looking at over 70. The infectious equivalent of a briefcase bomb. So, yeah, I might call that a little unusual." Kayla hears Sam and Dean whispering, but she can't hear what they are saying.

"I'm sorry. What was that?" the doctor asks.

"What was what?" Dean asks, trying to look innocent.

"Did you just say that a bunch of statues started crying?" the doctor asks skeptically. Kayla groans quietly and looks down at the kid. He's sleeping. She looks around, his parents are nowhere to be seen. Kayla ignores Sam and Dean and whispers,

"Brother, I need you." Almost immediately, Gabriel appears next to her.

"What is it kiddo?" he asks.

Kayla looks down at the child, "Heal him and take him to somewhere safe."

Gabriel places his hand on the child's forehead, instantly healing him. Kayla then carefully passes the child over.

"I'll take him somewhere safe," he promises and disappears. Kayla then sighs and stand up. She walks over to the boys just in time to hear the doctor say, "Just... get us some vaccine."

The trio then walk out of the hospital. They get into the impala and drive off. Sam dials Bobby's number and puts it on speakerphone.

"Hello?" Christine answers the phone.

"Hey Collard," Kayla says, leaning forward. "Could ya get Bobby for us?"

"Yeah sure," Christine says. She puts the phone down and goes to find Bobby.

"Let me guess," Bobby says, picking up the phone. "Another steamin' hot pile of swine flu."

"Yep," Dean confirms.

"Doesn't make any sense, Bobby," Sam says. "Pestilence touched down here. I'm sure of it."

"But why is he dealing them soft serve like swine flu when he's got the Croatoan virus up his sleeve? I-I-I don't get it," Dean adds.

"Doesn't matter what the sick son of a bitch is doing," Bobby says. "What matter is this is the fourth town he's hit- that we know of- and we're still eating his dust. Did you get anything? We got even a snowball at probable next target?"

"Uh, no pattern that we can see," Kayla replies, sitting back so that she is behind Dean.

"Okay," Bobby sighs. "Hold on." The trio can hear the sound of Bobby's chair. "Well, far as I can tell, he's till heading East, so... head East, I guess."

"East?" the trio ask in unison.

"Bobby, we're in West Nevada. East is practically all there is," Dean says.

"Yeah, well, you better get to drivin'" Bobby says, before hanging up. Sam puts away his phone and sighs.

"Say... I've got an idea," Crowley says, suddenly appearing in the back seat next to Kayla, who screams. Dean slams on the brakes and the impala swerves. Sam pulls out the demon killing knife and lunges back. But instead of stabbing Crowley, he stabs the backseat.

"Did you get him?" Dean grunts.

"He's gone," Sam says.

Crowley taps on the window, "Fancy a fag and a chat?" Dean, Sam and Kayla get out of the impala.

"You're upset," Crowley says, hastily backing away from the trio. "We should discuss it. Not here, but-"

"You want to talk?" Sam asks, stalking Crowley. "After what you did to us?"

"After what I- what I did to you?" Crowley splutters. "I gave you the colt!"

"Yeah, and you knew it wouldn't work against the devil!" Sam says angrily, forcing Crowley towards Dean and Kayla.

"I never!" Crowley says, defensively. Kayla cautiously walks past him so that she is standing next to Sam. She places a hand on his arm.

"You set us up." Sam says. "We lost people on that suicide run- good people!"

"Who you take on the ride is your own business," Crowley says, turning so that he can face all three of them. "Look, everything is still the same. W-we're all still in this together."

"Sure we are," Sam says. He then tries to stab Crowley again. But Crowley teleports so that he is behind Kayla.

"Call your dog off- please," Crowley says tiredly.

Dean puts a hand on Sam's arm. "Give me one good reason and then get the hell away from Kayla."

"I can give you pestilence," Crowley says, not moving away from Kayla.

"What do you know about Pestilence?" Dean asks.

"I know how to get him," Crowley says. "That's got your interest, doesn't it?" Kayla goes to move away, but Crowley puts his hands on her shoulders, keeping her in place.

"Stay right there," he tells her quietly. "You're my shield." Kayla groans quietly but stays where she is.

"Are you actually listening to this?" Sam asks, sounding angry.

Sam," Dean begins.

"Are you friggin' nuts?" Sam interrupts.

"Shut up for a second, Sam!" Dean says, beginning to get angry.

"Guys," Kayla moans.

"Shut up, the both of you!" Crowley shots, making Kayla jump. "Look... I swear... I thought the colt would work. It's an honest mistake. It's all part of the learning process. But nothing's changed. I still want the devil dead. Well... one thing's changed. Now the devil knows that I want him dead. Which, by the way, makes me the most buggered son in all of creation."

"Holy crap. We don't care," Dean says.

Kayla sniggers, "If you don't let me go, you'll be the most buggered son in all or creation times two."

Crowley squeezes her shoulder painfully as he says, "they burnt down my house! They ate my tailor! Two months under a rock, like a salamander! Every demon on hell and earth's got his eyes out for me! And yet... here I am...Last place I should be- in the road, talking to Sam and Dean Winchester and Metatron, under a friggin' spotlight!" Crowley gestures to the streetlight and it explodes, causing Kayla to scream.

"So come with me," Crowley continues, calming down. "Please. Do you want the horseman rings or not?" Sam and Dean stare at him. "Yes, I know all about that. Shall we?"

Sam and Dean look at each other, "Let Kayla go and we will." Crowley sighs but release Kayla. She runs over to the brothers and hides behind them. The trio walk back to the impala. Crowley gets in the back, while Sam and Dean get in the front. Kayla hesitates, obviously too scared to get in the back with Crowley. Sam opens his door and allows Kayla to climb over him, to sit in the middle of the brothers. Dean drives off.

They pull up in front of an old abandoned house. They get out of the house and walk in.

"Here we are," Crowley sighs. "My life on the lam. How the mighty have fallen. Single-pane glass. Used contraception in the fireplace." Crowley lights the fire with his powers. "The water damage alone-"

"My heart bleeds for you," Dean says sarcastically. "Now, how do you know about the rings?"

"Well, now... I've been keeping a close eye on you lot," Crowley says vaguely.

"We got hex bags. We're hidden from demons," Kayla says, looking confused.

"All but one," Crowley says, pointing at himself. "That night you broke into my house, our first date, my valet hid a tracking device in your car- a magical coin that easily trumps your little bag o' bones. It allows me to hear things, too- and, my, the things I've heard." He chuckles. "So you want to cram the devil back into the box? Cunning scheme. I want in."

"You said you could get us pestilence," Dean says.

"Well, now... I don't know where pestilence is... per se," Crowley says, turning away. "But I do know the demon who does. He's what you might call the horsemen's stable boy. He handles their itineraries, their personal needs. He's who you want-believe me. He'll tell use where Sneezy's at." He turns back to face the trio.

"Well, how do we get him to spill?" Dean asks. "Rip out his toenails?"

"No. Nuts at his pay grade don't crack. We bring him here, then I sell him," Crowley tells them.

"Sell him?" Sam asks, looking skeptical.

"Please. I've sold sin to saints for centuries. Think I can't close one little demon?" Crowley says.

"All right, so where's this demon of yours?" Dean asks.

Crowley's left the room. Dean is packing a bag while Sam and Kayla talk.

"Why are we even listening to him Dean?" Sam asks. "This is totally insane."

"I don't disagree," Dean says. Crowley claps his hands behind them, making Kayla jump.

"One big happy family, are we, then?" he asks sarcastically. "Fantastic."

"You ready to go?" Dean asks him.

"Yes. I am," he replies. "Sam, keep the home fires burning."

"What are you talking about?" Dean and Kayla ask.

"Sam's not coming," Crowley says.

"And why the hell not?" Sam asks.

"Because I don't like you," Crowley says, walking towards Sam. "I don't trust you... and- oh yes- you keep trying to kill me!"

"There's no damn way. This isn't gonna happen!" Sam shouts.

Crowley points at Sam, "I'm not asking you, am I? 'cause you're not invited. I'm asking you." He points at Dean and Kayla. "What's it gonna be?" Kayla looks up at Dean, who looks at Sam. They don't answer.

"Gentlemen, Lady... enjoy your last few sunsets," Crowley scoffs. He turns and walks away.

"Wait," Dean calls. Crowley turns back to face them. "I'll go." Dean turns to Sam, "What can I say? I believe the guy."

Sam stands at the window and watches Dean and Kayla leave with Crowley.

Dean watches the building through a pair of binoculars. Crowley sits next to him while Kayla leans over the seat.

"Demons?" he asks as he sees people walking around inside.

"Nah," Crowley says. "Human shields. The demons are up top- 12th floor.

"All right, then," Dean says. "We'll have to find a way in through the back."

"You Winchesters make everything so complicated," Crowley complains. He then disappears. Kayla climbs over the seat to sit next to Dean.

"Ah, crap," Dean moans. He looks over at the building and stares. He lifts up the binoculars and sees Crowley appear behind the security guard. Crowley then slits his throat.

"O, crap. Crap! Crap!" Dean moans. He and Kayla get out of the impala. They run to the doors and knock.

"Doors open!" Crowley calls. Dean and Kayla walk in. They stare at him. "What?"

"You killed them?" Dean asks as Kayla covers her eyes.

"We're on a tight schedule," Crowley says. "Come on. Now you're squeamish? Please."

He walks them to the elevator and Dean steps inside. Crowley stays outside and grabs Kayla's arm, making sure that she stays outside as well.

"Go get 'em, tiger," Crowley says, pushing the button.

Dean stops the doors, "Wh- You're not coming?"

"Oh, no. It's not safe up there," Crowley says. "There's demons."

"Yeah, I get that," Dean says. "But what about Kayla?"

Crowley looks down at her, "She's too important. If she goes up there the demons will immediately suspect something." He turns back to Dean. "Look, just do what I told you, a-and try to be convincing. It'll work like a charm. Trust me." He pushes Dean back into the elevator and waves as it goes up. As soon as the elevator is out of sight, Kayla turns to confront Crowley.

"You knew who I was?" she asks. "How the hell did you?"

"You already know that I was a very important demon. And when you're a very important demon, you find out stuff."

"Who else knows?" Kayla asks cautiously.

"Every single important demon," Crowley replies. Kayla groans and shakes her head. She walks over to the desk and sits down on it. Crowley disappears.

A while later, Kayla hears the elevator ding. She watches as Dean cautiously steps out. She slides off the desk and runs over to him.

"Are you okay?" she asks, seeing all the blood. She glances behind him and sees the demon appear. Before she can say anything, he has hit Dean over the head, sending him flying.

"Dean!" Kayla steps in front of him. "Leave him alone!" she growls at the demon.

"Hello Kayla, it's good to see you. Oh boy, am I excited now!" he says. Suddenly, Crowley appears behind him. He drops a sack covered in a devil's trap over his head. Crowley then proceeds to bash the other demons head in with a crowbar.

"Evening Uncle," he says.

"What the hell was that?" Dean asks when Crowley's finished. Kayla walks over to him and helps him up.

"That was perfect," Crowley says.

"Perfect?" Dean asks skeptically. "He didn't want the rings. He wanted me."

"What?" Kayla growls, glaring at Crowley.

"Imagine the surprise on your face," Crowley says, ignoring Kayla.

"What?" Dean asks.

"Your ignorance and misinformation- I mean, completely authentic," Crowley replies. "You can't fake that." Dean glares at him. "What? I- it went like clockwork."

"Not for me, you son of a bitch!" Dean growls.

"That's what you get- working with a demon," Crowley replies simply. They carry the demon back to the impala. Crowley gets in the back with the demon and Kayla gets in next to Dean.

Crowley then carves a sigil into the demon's torso.

"Hey, hot stuff, watch the upholstery!" Dean exclaims.

"Up yours, mate," Crowley replies. "This bit of carving will tie our friend here down. No zapping off, no smoking out- locked in a meat suit. An important piece of our bargaining strategy. Now, up here, we don't want I-50. Take the 93 north."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asks.

"Look, we can't take this guy back to your brother," Crowley says.

"Why the hell not?" Dean asks angrily. "Crowley!"

"They got history, all right?" Crowley says. Dean angrily stamps on the brakes, causing the impala to screech to a halt. Kayla shrieks and slides off the seat.

"You wanna go anywhere, you start talking," Dean threatens. "What history?"

Sam's sitting on the bed when he hears the impala return. He walks downstairs and saw Crowley standing there alone.

"Where's Dean and Kayla?" Sam asks.

"Now... for the record, I'm against this. Negotiating a high-level defection-it's very delicate business," Crowley says, not answering the question.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asks.

"I begged Dean not to come back," Crowley says, once again ignoring Sam. "We should be miles away... from you. He replies with a colourful rejoinder about my 'corn chute'." Sam scoffs. "So, go ahead. Go- ruin our last best hope. It's only the end of the world." Sam walks past Crowley. Dean is tying up the demon while Kayla watches.

"Sam," Dean says.

"What's going on Dean?" Sam asks.

"I don't understand," Sam says. "What's all this about?"

"I'm doing this 'cause I trust you," Dean says.

"Trust me to what?" Sam asks, looking confused.

"Sam?" the demon asks, then clears his throat. "Sam, is that you?" Dean walks over and removes the hood.

"Brady?" Sam asks, walking forward.

"Brady hasn't been Brady is years," Brady chuckles. "Not since, oh... middle of our sophomore year?"

"What?" Sam asks.

"That's right," Brady grins. "You had a devil on your shoulder even nack then. All right, now, let it all sink in."

"You son of a bitch!" Sam yells. "You son of a bitch!" Sam starts to approach Brady but Dean holds him back. "You introduced me to Jess!"

"Ding, ding! I think he's got it!" Brady says, still smiling. Sam struggles against Dean's hold.

"Damn it, Sam!" Dean yells.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam threatens Brady, ignoring Sam. Dean pushes Sam out of the room and tells Kayla, "Watch Brady."

"OK," Kayla says and turns around to face Brady.

"Hello Kayla," he grins at her.

"Don't talk to me," she growls back. Brady continues grinning, back doesn't talk. A few minutes later Crowley walks in. He looks at Kayla and she leaves. When Crowley returns, he turns to Kayla.

"Go and watch him again would ya?" he asks her.

"Why me?" she questions.

"Because you're the only one that he won't kill or hurt," Crowley tells her. "Now go." Kayla shrugs and walks back over to Brady.

"He's right, you know," Brady tells her. "I might be able get away with hurting Sam, but if I hurt you," he whistles, "I would be tortured for all eternity. And it would e even worse than what Crowley's got facing him." Kayla looks at him and smirks.

"You really that afraid of my brother, huh?"

"Definitely," Brady confirms.

At that moment Sam walks in. He looks at Kayla and walks over to her.

"Sam, what ya doin'?" she asks. Sam doesn't answer, instead he hits her, sending her flying into the fall. She is instantly knocked out.

When she wakes up, she's lying exactly where she fell. Dean sees her and walks over to her.

"God Kayla. What the hell happened?" he asks. She glares at him.

"Why don't you ask your brother?" she says. Dean sighs and turns around to face Sam. Sam shrugs.

"God. The day I've had," Crowley says returning. He looks at Kayla. "Bloody hell! Your brother is gonna be pissed." He turns to face Brady. "Good news. You're gonna live forever."

"What did you do?" Brady groans.

"Went over to a demon's nest- had a little massacre," Crowley tells him. "Must be losing my touch, though- let one of the little toads live. Oops. Also, might have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are- wait for it- Lovers in league against Satan." Crowley chuckles as Brady sighs.

"Hello, darling," Crowley smiles. "So, now death is off the table. Now you get to be on the boss's eternal-torment list with little old me."

"Oh, no, no, no, no. No," Brady says, shaking his head.

"Something else we have in common-apart from our torrid passion, of course- craving self- preservation. So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?" Crowley says.

Howling is heard.

"Oh, God, Crowley," Brady moans.

"Was that a hellhound?" Dean asks.

"I'd say yeah," Crowley replies, digging in his pockets.

"Why was that a hellhound?" Dean asks. Kayla walks over to him and clutches onto his arm. Crowley groans and pulls a coin out of his pocket.

"What's that?" Sam asks as Dean wraps his arm around Kayla.

"Remember I was telling you about my crafty little tracking device?" Crowley asks.

"Yeah," Sam answers.

"Demons planted one on me," Crowley tells them.

"You're saying a hellhound followed you here?" Kayla asks.

"Well, technically, he followed this," Crowley says.

"Get me out of here," Brady begs. "I'll tell you anything you want."

"Shut up," Sam growls at him.

"Okay, well, then we should go," Dean says, tightening his hold on Kayla.

"Sorry, kids. No one knows more about the hounds than I," Crowley tells them. "You're long past the point of 'go'." Crowley tosses the coin to Dean, who catches it. When he looks up, Crowley is gone.

"Damn it," Dean curses.

"I told you!" Sam says.

"Ih, well, good for you," Dean says mockingly. "Luckily, we have salt in the kitchen."

"I'll watch Brady," Sam says, taking Kayla from Dean.

"Watch me?" Brady scoffs. "Get me the hell out of here!"

Dean walks off to find the salt. Suddenly, gunshots are heard.

"Sammy!" Dean shouts.

"Salt?" Sam asks as he tries to untie Brady. Dean looks at him. The hellhound growls.

"Damn it, get me out of here!" Brady shouts.

"Shut up!" Dean and Sam yell at him in unison.

"Great," Brady moans. "Just great."

"Hey!" Crowley shouts, reappearing.

"You're back?" Kayla asks.

"I'm invested," he tells her. "Currently."

A hellhound barks.

"Stay!" Crowley shouts, glancing to the side.

"You can control them?" Dean asks.

"Not that one," Crowley says, pointing to Dean. "I brought my own." Crowley pats the air about five and a half foot above the ground. "Mine's bigger. Sic him, boy!" The hellhounds bark and growl as they fight. Sam finally manages to untie Brady and Dean scratches part of the devil's trap away.

"Go, go go go," Dean says. Everyone then runs out.

"I'll wager $1,000 my pup wins," Crowley says as they climb into the impala. Dean then speeds away.

In an alley way Brady hands Crowley a piece of paper, "Yeah. I'm sure pestilence will be there. Thanks."

"What do you think?" Dean asks.

"It's good," Crowley says. "You got no reason to lie, have you? Like I said before, you're in my boat now."

"You've screwed me- for eternity," Brady says.

"Nah. Won't last that long," Crowley tells him. "Trust me."

Crowley follows Dean and Kayla down the alley, walking past Sam, who is staring at Brady.

"Where are you going?" Brady asks. Dean bends down and begins to pour a salt-line. Starting a couple of feet behind Sam.

"I'm going to do you a favour," Crowley tells him. "I expect we'll be in touch," he says to Sam. Crowley walks over to Dean. Dean lets him pass and then closes the salt-line. Dean then lifts Kayla over the line.

"Hey," he calls to Crowley. "Walk her back to the impala, will ya?" Crowley walks back and grabs Kayla's arm. He pulls her along as they walk towards the impala.

"Hey Crowley," Kayla begins. "You won't necessarily be damned for all eternity. If I asked my brother would leave you alone."

"Why would you do that?" he asks, looking down at her.

"If you help me find my grace, then I would and he would be happy to let you live," Kayla tells him. Crowley smiles.

"Then I would be happy to help," he tells her and disappears. Kayla looks over just in time to see Sam kill Brady. She shakes her head and climbs into the impala.


	25. Chapter 25

The trio are at Bobby's. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean shouts at Sam. He and Dean are in the kitchen, Bobby, Kayla and Christine are in the study.

"Dean," Sam begins.

"No, don't 'Dean' me," Dean interrupts. "I mean, you- you have had some stupid ideas in the past, but this." Dean shakes his head and turns to Bobby, "D-did you know about this?"

"What?" Bobby asks, Kayla looks at Sam suspiciously.

"About Sam's genius plan to cram the devil down his throat," Dean asks. Bobby nods.

"You're going to say yes?" Kayla shrieks, making everyone jump. "Are you trying to friggin' kill me?" Kayla walks forward and goes to hit Sam but is stopped by Dean.

"I trusted you Sam!" Kayla growls.

"Yeah, I agree with her," Dean says. "You can't do this."

"That's the consensus," Sam says.

"All right," Dean says. "Awesome. Then end of discussion." A phone starts to ring.

"It's me," Kayla says. "Hello?"

"Kayla?"

"Cas?" Kayla asks, looking at Dean.

"Is he okay?" Dean asks.

Kayla shushes him. "We all thought you were dead Cas," Kayla says into the phone. "Where the hell are you?"

"Did she just shush me?" Dean whispers to Sam. Sam smirks in response.

"A hospital," Cas says.

"A hospital!" Kayla shrieks. "Are you okay?"

"No."

"What do ya mean 'no'? Do you wanna elaborate?"

"I just woke up here. The doctors were fairly surprised. They thought I was brain-dead."

"Brain-dead? Oh God, I'm gonna die of heart failure in a minute. You woke up in a hospital?"

"Apparently, after Van Nuys, suddenly appeared, bloody and unconcious, on a shrimping boat off Delacroix. I'm told it upset the sailors."

"Oh, yeah, that reminds me, I've so gotta get you back for that! Just wait until I see you!" Kayla threatens. "Oh, and the muttonheads have come up with a plan that will drive me to suicide."

"'Muttonheads'? You've been spending too much time around Gabriel. And what do you mean 'a plan that will drive you to suicide'?"

"I'll get them to tell you later." Dean holds out his hand, indicating that he wants the phone. "Dean wants to speak. I'll see you late bro."

"Hey Cas. Look, we're going after Pestilence now. So could you zap over here..."

"I can't 'zap' anywhere."

"What do you mean, you can't 'zap'?"

"You could say my batteries are-are drained."

"What do you mean? You're out of angel mojo?" Kayla looks at up Dean, worried.

"I'm saying that I am thirsty and my head aches. I have a bug bite that itches no matter how much I scratch it, and I'm saying that I'm just incredibly..."

"Human," Dean finishes. "Wow. Sorry."

"Well, my point is- I can't go anywhere without money for...an airplane ride. And food. And more pain medication, ideally."

"All right. Well, look, no worries. Uh, Bobby's here. He'll wire you the cash."

"I will?" Bobby asks.

Kayla glares at him, "You sure as hell will!"

"Dean wait. You said 'no' to Michael. I owe you an apology."

"Cas..i-it's okay."

"You are no the burnt and broken shell of a man that I believed you to be."

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome." Cas hangs up.

"Bye then," Kayla says, taking her phone back. She walks over to Christine, looking at her messages. There are loads from her ex-boyfriend Jack.

"Hey Collard," Kayla whispers. "Why the hell does Jack the idiot keep texting me?"

"Dunno," Christine replies.

"Alright, angel, time to go," Dean calls.

"See you later," Kayla tells Christine. "Have fun researching!"

"Be careful," Bobby says as the trio climb into the impala.

It's nighttime when they reach Pestilence's location. It's Serenity Valley Convalescent Home.

They sit outside in the impala, watching the home.

"So this is Dr. Evil's lair, huh?" Dean asks.

"It's kind of more depressing than evil," Sam remarks.

"At least there's no children," Kayla says, leaning back. She's got another text. She reads it and sighs, "Remind me to kick this guys ass when we get back to Bobby's."

Dean and Sam ignore her."It's like a four-colour brochure for dying young," Dean says. "Of course, to Pestilence, it's probably Dollywood in there."

"Great," Sam moans. "A whole building full of people. We don't know who's human, who's demon, and who's pestilence. So what do we do?"

Kayla spots a CCTV camera and smiles. "I've got an idea." They get out of the impala and walk in. They walk to the security room. Kayla pulls her top down, revealing more cleavage. She looks at the brothers,

"No one mentions this to my brothers. Got that?" They nod. Kayla knocks on the door and walks in. "Hey," she says. "You couldn't do me a favour, could you?" The security guard looks at her and grins.

"Of course, darling. I will do anything you want."

"That's great," Kayla grins. She walks forward. Suddenly, she ducks. Dean punches the guard, knocking him out. Kayla grins up at him. Dean sighs and pulls her top up.

"Are you sure we're not related?" she asks him. Dean bangs on the door and Sam walks in. Dena then proceeds to drag the security guard over to the corner. The trio then spend the next few hours watching the cameras.

"So, what are," Sam begins. He then sees Dean drifting off to sleep. He taps him on the arm, making him jump. Kayla smirks. "He. What are we even looking for?" Sam asks him when he's awake.

"Well, he's Pestilence, so he probably looks sick," Dean replies.

"Everybody looks sick, genius," Kayla tells him. Sam spots a distortion on one of the screens.

"Hey," he says. They watch as the screens become distorted when one of the doctors appears.

"Oh, now we're talking," Dean says. They leave the room and walk to the room where Pestilence was last seen. They round a corner and find a couple of bodies. Sam and Kayla start coughing up blood. Everyone's vision becomes blurry.

"Ugh," Sam groans. "Must be getting close."

"You think?" Dean asks sarcastically. He starts to fall over.

"Dean?" Sam asks. He goes to help Dean, but he stumbles and Dean falls to the floor. "Get up." Kayla falls to the floor next to Dean. Sam stumbles to the door, but it opens before he reaches it.

"The doctor will see you now," the demon who opens it smiles. She moves to the side and reveals Pestilence.

"Sam. Dean. Kayla," he smiles, gesturing them in. Sam holds up the knife, but then falls to the floor. "Come right in." The demon walks over and drags the brothers in. She then walks over to Kayla and helps her in. "Hmm. You boys don't look well. it might be the, uh, Scarlet fever. Or, uh, the meningitis. Oh! Or the syphilis. That's no fun. However you feel right now? It's gonna get so very, very much worse." He then turns to Kayla.

She groans and says, "You can't hurt me, no without pissing off my brother. You might be able to get away with hurting them. But not me."

"I'll just take that risk," Pestilence smirks. He clenches his fist and Kayla cries out in pain. She falls to the ground and blood comes out of her mouth. Pestilence turns back to the Winchesters.

"Disease gets a bad rep, don't you think? For being filthy. Chaotic. Uh, but, really, t-that just describes people who get sick. Disease itself...very...pure...single-minded. Bacteria have one purpose-divide and conquer." Dean's hand slides over to the knife. Pestilence notices and steps on his hand. "That's why, in the end... it always wins. So, you've got to wonder why God pours all his love into something so messy...and weak. It's ridiculous. All I can do is show him he's wrong, one epidemic at a time. No...one a scale of 1 to 10, how's your pain?"

Suddenly, the door opens and Cas walks in.

"Cas?" Kayla groans quietly, looking at her brother.

"How'd you get here?" Pestilence asks.

"I took a bus," Cas replies. "Don't worry, I-" Cas falls to the floor, coughing.

"Well, look at that. An occupied vessel, but powerless," Pestilence says, bending down in front of Cas. "Oh, that's fascinating. There's not a speck of angel in you, is there?" Cas grabs the knife and cuts off Pestilence's ring.

"Maybe just a speck," Cas tells him. Pestilence falls to the side and the demon leaps at Cas. He stabs her in the stomach. The trio are instantly healed.

"It doesn't matter," Pestilence says, holding his hand. "It's too late."

"Cas," Kayla walks over to Cas and hugs him. Cas returns the hug gratefully. "I'm so glad you're alive," she tells him. She then pulls away and slaps him. Cas puts a hand to his cheek and looks at her, surprised. "You didn't say goodbye?" she asks. Cas doesn't answer, he just pulls her back into a hug.

"Well, it's nice to actually score a home run for once aint' it?" Bobby says, looking at the ring. He looks up to see Sam, Dean, Kayla and Cas looking miserable. "What?"

"Last thing Pestilence said," Sam tells him. "'It's too late'."

"He get specific?" Bobby asks.

"No," Sam replies.

"We're just little freaked out that he might have left a bomb somewhere," Dean says. "So please tell us you have actual good news."

"Chicago's about to wiped off the map," Bobby tells them. "Storm of the millenium. Sets off a daisy chain of natural disasters. Three million people are gonna die."

"Huh," Dean groans.

"I don't understand you definition of good news," Cas says. Kayla pats his hand.

"Well...Death, the horseman - he's gonna be there," Bobby tells him. "And if we can stop him before he kick-starts this storm, get his ring back – "

"Yeah, you make it sound so easy," Dean says, sarcastically.

"Hell, I'm just trying to put a spin on it," Bobby says.

"Well...Bobby, h-how'd you put all this together, anyways?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, how did you?" Christine asks. "'cause I haven't heard of anything like this."

"I had, you know... help," Bobby replies awkwardly. They hear someone in the kitchen and turn around. It's Crowley.

"Don't be so modest. I barely helped at all," he smiles.

"Not him again," Kayla groans quietly. Crowley walks into the study and leans against the door frame.

"Hello boys, Kayla. Pleasure, et cetera," Crowley says. At the mention of Kayla's name, Cas puts his arm around her waist and pulls her to him. "Go ahead. Tell them. There's no same in it."

Everyone turns to look at Bobby.

"Bobby? Tell us what?" Sam asks.

"World's gonna end," Bobby says. "Seems stupid to get all precious over one little...soul."

"You sold your soul?" Dean asks.

"O, more like pawned it," Crowley interrupts. "I fully intend to give it back."

"Well, then give it back!" Dean shouts.

"I will," Crowley assures him.

"Now!" Dean says.

"Did you kiss him?" Sam asks suddenly.

"Sam!" Dean rebukes.

"Just wondering," Sam says defensively.

"No!" Bobby exclaims. Crowley whistles and holds out his phone. It has a picture of him and Bobby kissing on it. "Why'd you take a picture?" Bobby moans.

"Why do you have to use tongue?" Crowley shoots back. Just then, the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it," Kayla sighs and goes to answer the door. She opens the door.

"Jack?" she gasps.

"The one and only," Jack grins. Kayla glances behind her and pushes Jack out the door. She closes it behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asks him.

"I miss you," he tells her.

"Yeah, well, you should have thought about that before you slept with Julie Myers," Kayla tells him angrily.

"Look, babe, I've already told you I'm sorry," Jack begins.

"Sorry!" Kayla shrieks. "I'll give you sorry, you cheating bastard." She turns away from him. "Gabe?"

"Yes kiddo?" Gabriel asks, appearing behind her, causing Jack to jump. Gabriel looks at her closely and sees tears in her eyes. He walks over to her and puts his hands on her shoulders.

"What happened?" he asks her. Kayla glances over to Jack. "Is this the guy?" Kayla nods. "The cheating little scumbag?" Gabriel asks again.

"Yeah," Kayla replies. Gabriel growls and walks over to Jack. He grabs hold of his arm and says to Kayla, "I'm just going to go visit Luci-Lou. See you soon." He disappears with Jack.

"Sometimes you have gotta love overprotective brothers," Kayla grins to herself. She hears voices and walks around to the back of the house. She walks over just in time to see Bobby throw a bag at Cas and say, "And load the damn truck." Dean and Sam walk round to join them. Kayla walks over to Cas and hugs him.

"All right, well...good luck stopping the whole zombie apocalypse," Dean says.

"Yeah. Good luck killing Death," Sam replies.

"Yeah," Dean says.

"Remember when we used to just...hunt wendigos?" Sam asks. "How simple things were?"

"Not really," Dean replies.

"Well, um" Sam pulls out the demon-killing knife. "You might need this."

"Keep it," Crowley says, appearing. He hands Dean a small scythe. "Dean and Kayla are covered. Death's own. Kills, golly, demons and angels and reapers and, rumor has it, the very thing itself."

"How did you get that?" Cas asks as Kayla walks over to Dean.

"Hello-king of the crossroads," Crowley says. "So, shall we? Bobby, you just gonna sit there?"

"No, I'm gonna riverdance," Bobby replies sarcastically.

"I suppose if you want to impress the ladies," Crowley says. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby. Really wasted that crossroads deal. Fact - you get more if you phrase it properly. So, I took the liberty of adding a teeny little sub-a clause on your behalf. What can I say? I'm an altruist. Just gonna sit there?" Bobby stares at him and moves his foot. He gasps and slowly stands up.

"Son of a bitch."

"Yes, I know," Crowley says. Completely worth your soul. I'm a hell of a guy."

"Thanks," Bobby says.

"This is getting maudlin," Crowley says. "Can we go?" Dean, Kayla and Crowley walk over to the impala and get in. They drive off.

They arrive in Chicago and get out of the impala.

"Hey, let's stop for pizza," Crowley says.

"Are you kidding?" Dean and Kayla ask.

"Just heard it was good," Crowley says. "That's all."

"I heard that as well," Kayla say. Dean looks at her. Kayla shrugs. "What? Gabe told me."

"Up ahead," Crowley says, pointing. "Big, ugly building. Ground zero. Horseman's stable, if you will. He's in there."

"How do you know?" Kayla asks.

"Have you met me?" Crowley asks. "'cause I know. Also, the block is squirming with reapers."

"He's right," Kayla says, looking up at Dean. "I can feel them."

"I'll be right back," Crowley says and disappears. He reappears again a few minutes later. "Boy, is my face red," Crowley says. "Death's not in there."

"You want to cut the cute and get to the part where you tell me where he is?" Dean says.

"Sorry. I don't know," Crowley says.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute," Dean says. "You don't know?"

"Signs pointed," Crowley says. "I-I'm just as shocked as you."

"Bobby sold his soul for this!" Dean shouts.

"Relax," Crowley says. "All deals are soul back or store credit. We'll catch Death in the next doomed city.

"Millions, Crowley," Kayla snaps. "Millions of people are about to die any minute."

"True," Crowley agrees. "So I strongly suggest we get out of here." He disappears.

"Un-bloody-believable," Kayla growls as her and Dean walk towards the impala. They get in and Crowley appears.

"So, what?" Dean asks. "Call in a bomb threat? 1,000 bomb threats? I mean, how the hell are we supposed to get three million people out of Chicago in the next 10 minutes?"

"He's gone, Dean," Kayla sighs.

"Come on!" Dean growls. He sighs and looks around. He spots Crowley in front of a pizzeria. Crowley's mouthing something but Dean and Kayla can't understand what.

"What? I can't hear you," Dean says, mouthing his words clearly.

Crowley appears in the impala again, "I said I found him. Death- he's in there." Dean and Kayla get out of the impala.

"You coming or..." Dean begins to ask Crowley. He looks into the impala and sees that Crowley has disappeared. "Not."

The pair enter the pizzeria through the back entrance. They look around and see that everyone's dead. Dean spots Death sitting at a table with his back to them. He nudges Kayla and they silently walk forward. As they approach Death, the scythe heats up, causing Dean to drop it. They close their eyes in fear.

"Thanks for returning that," Death says. They look down and the scythe is gone. They see it appear on Death's table. "Join me, Dean, Kayla," Death says, "The pizza's delicious." They cautiously walk over. "Sit down." They sit.

"Took you long enough to find me," Death says. "I've been wanting to talk to you."

"I got to- I have mixed feelings about that," Dean says. "S-so is this the part where...where you kill me?" Kayla glances over at Dean. She picks up a slice of pizza and starts to eat it.

"You have an inflated sense of your importance," Death remarks. "To a thing like, a thing like you, well... Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started to get snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. I'm old, Dean. Very old. So I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you." Death scopes a slice of pizza onto the plate infront of Dean. "Eat." Dean takes a bit out of it. "Good, isn't it?"

"Well, I got to ask," Dean says. "How old are you?"

"He's definitely older than me and my brothers," Kayla says.

"She's right," Death says. "I'm as old as God. Maybe older. Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg. Regardless- at the end, I'll reap him, too."

Kayla chokes on her pizza, "God? You'll reap God?"

"Oh, yes. God will die, too, Metatron," Death tells her.

"Well, this is way above my pay grade," Dean says.

"Just a bit," Death agrees.

"So, then why am I still breathing, sitting here with you?" Dean asks. "Uh...w-what do you want?"

"The leash around my neck off," Death tells him. "Lucifer has me bound to him. Some unseemly little spell. He has me where he wants, when he wants. That's why I couldn't go to you. I had to wait for you to catch up. He made me his weapon. Hurricanes, floods, raising the dead. I'm more powerful than you can process, and I'm enslaved to a bratty child with a temper tantrum."

"O, Luci," Kayla groans and puts her head in her hands.

"And you think...I can unbind you?" Dean asks.

"There's your ridiculous bravado again," Death says. "Of course you can't. Metatron might be able to, but you can't. But you can help me take the bullets out of Lucifer's gun. I understand you want this." Death holds up his hand, displaying his ring.

"Yeah," Dean replies.

"No," Kayla whispers.

"I'm inclined to give it to you," Death says.

"To give it to me?" Dean asks.

"That's what I said," Death replies.

"But what about..." Dean begins.

"Chicago?" Death finishes. "I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza." Death takes off his ring. "There are conditions."

"Okay. Like?" Dean asks.

"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cell," Death tells him. He glances at Kayla. "Or, at least get rid of the leash."

"Of course," Dean replies.

"Whatever it takes," Death says.

"That's the plan," Dean replies.

"No. No plan. Not yet. Your brother. He's the one that can stop Lucifer. Either he says Yes or Metatron gets her grace back. Seeing as though the second option isn't going so well, Sam is the only one."

"What, you think-"

"I know. So, I need a promise. You're going to let your brother jump right into the firey pit. Well, do I have your word?" Death holds out his ring.

"Okay, yeah. Yes," Dean agrees, holding out his hand.

"That had better be 'yes', Dean," Death warns. "You know you can't cheat death." He drops the ring into Dean's hand. "Now, would you like the instruction manual?" Death tells Dean the instructions on how to use the rings and open the cage. Dean nods and leaves. However, Kayla hangs back.

"I got the impression that you wanted to speak with me privately," she says.

"I do," he confirms. "As I said, I would settle for the leash being removed. However, it would be wise to keep him from me after."

"I can do that," Kayla says. She gets up to leave but Death stops her.

"As you already know, there are some angels that want you dead," Death tells her.

"Yeah," Kayla says cautiously.

"Well, in six hours, they succeed," Death says. Kayla looks at him, her eyes wide. "The only way that you will survive is to get your grace back."

"Why are you telling me this?" she gasps.

"Because I quite like you," Death tells her. She nods and stumbles out of the door. Dean's waiting for her by the impala.

"Whoa, Kayla, are you alright?" he asks, running forward. She shakes he head and collapses in his arms, Death's words echoing through her mind.


	26. Chapter 26

Kayla could hear someone calling her name.

"Gabe?" she asked weakly. She felt someone carefully pick her up. She automatically burrowed into them, seeking comfort.

"It's okay, kiddo," she hears Gabriel says. "I'm here now. You're safe." Kayla opens her eyes. The first thing she sees is her brothers concerned face. She feels the impala speeding along the road.

"Dean called me when you wouldn't wake up," Gabriel explains. "What did Death tell you kiddo?"

"It was nothing," Kayla whispers.

"Yeah, sounds like nothing," Gabriel snorts. Kayla elbows him in the stomach.

"How long was I asleep?" she asks.

"A few hours, not long," Gabriel says. The clock isticking.

Dean pulls up in front of Bobby's house. Gabriel opens the impala door and helps Kayla out as well.

"Guys?" Dean calls as they walk in the door. "We're back."

They walk into the study and see Bobby, Sam, Cas, Crowley and Christine.

"Jeez, Kayla, you look awful," Christine says, she starts to walk over but a glare from Kayla changes her mind. Kayla walks over to Cas and leans against him. Cas puts his arm around her waist.

"I know how to stop Lucifer," Dean tells them.

"You really do look unwell," Cas whispers in Kayla's ear.

"Stress," Kayla shrugs. Cas shares a look with Gabriel.

"Death gave me his ring and the instructions to it," Dean continues. "We can finally do this."

"Whoopee," Kayla smirks sarcastically. Dean glares at her.

"Dean can I talk to you outside?" Bobby asks. Dean nods and they walk outside.

"Well, as fun as this has been, I've got to go," Gabriel says, clapping his hands.

"Bye Gabe," Kayla says. She walks over and hugs him.

"When I get back, you are going to tell me what Death said," he warns her before disappearing. Dean and Bobby walk back in. Dean walks over to Sam.

"If you think that you can do this, control Satan, then I will stand by you," Dean tells him. Sam smiles at him. "Right then, let's go to Detroit." Kayla stares at him.

"You're kidding me right?" she says quietly.

Dean looks over at Cas, "Hey Cas, could you go outside? We'll be out in a minute." Cas nods and goes outside.

Dean turns to face Kayla, "Look, I'm sorry, but we've gotta do this."

"What would you do Dean?" Kayla asks.

"What?" Dean asks.

"If you had the chance to save you're brothers. What would you do?" Kayla asks. Dean stays silent. "You would save them, wouldn't you?" Dean glances behind her, but before Kayla can turn around, something hits the back of her head. Her world turns black.

When she wakes up, she's laying on the bed in the panic room.

"You bastard!" she curses before getting up and walking towards the door. She bangs on the door and screams, "Let me out!"

"I'm coming," she hears Christine call. Christine opens the door and lets Kayla out.

"Where the bloody hell are they?" Kayla growls, stalking out of the panic room. She walks up the stairs and goes into the study.

"They left," Christine tells her. Kayla pulls out her phone. She dials Sam's number.

"_Hello?" Sam answers._

"Sam," Kayla growls.

"_Kayla!" Sam gasps._

"Why did you hit me Sam?" she asks.

"_I had to. You were going to stop us."_

"Of course I'm going to stop you! Because of you, my brothers are going to fight and kill each other!"

"_Kayla, I have no choice. If you had found your grace then I wouldn't do this."_

"Are you trying to blame me for this?"

"_No! Of course not!"_

"When I find my grace, I will let you know."

"_And if you don't?"_

"Well, then you and your brother will live with the knowledge that you sent me to my death." Kayla hangs up and closes the phone. She looks up at Christine.

"He's gonna say yes," she sobs. "Oh god, Sam's gonna say yes." Christine walks over to her and wraps her in a hug.

"I'm sure he won't," she tries to assure her.

"Of course he will!" Kayla shrieks, pulling away. "They want my brother gone! Even if it does kill me! All they care about is saving themselves."

"Hey, why don't you go to your clearing," Christine says. Kayla looks at her confused. "You know- the one you always feel safe in." Kayla gasps, Joshua's message echoing through her brain.

'_Your grace is hidden in a safe place, in the first place that you ever felt safe in'_. Safe- she felt safe in the clearing.

"That's it! Christine, you genius!" Kayla shrieks. She jumps up and runs out the door, ignoring Christine shouting after her. She runs out of the salvage yard and down the road. Kayla pulls out her phone and calls Sam.

"Sam, I need you to give me an hour before you do anything stupid," she says.

"_Kayla, I can't. I need to do this," Sam replies._

"I know where my grace is," Kayla shouts down the phone. She then hangs up and puts the phone back into her pocket. She continues running.

"Why did I never think of this?" she mutters to herself.

Kayla runs into the clearing. She is at the edge when she hears someone behind her.

"You've finally figured it out, then?" he asks. Kayla turns around and goes to speak. But she is interrupted by the blade that pierces her stomach.

"You're not stopping the apocalypse. I have waited too long for Paradise and I won't lose it because of you," her attacker growls.

"Brother, why?" Kayla asks. Raphael smirks at her and disappears. Kayla collapses. She looks at the tree. She lies down, giving up. Kayla lies there and feels her life blood spill from her body. Memories flash before her eyes. Memories of her life as an archangel, memories of her human parents, memories of her time with the Winchesters, memories of her brothers.

"No!" she says suddenly. She crawls over to one of the trees and pulls herself up. "Not giving up! My brother's need me!" She stumbles into the clearing. She falls over a couple of times but keeps going. She reaches the tree and leans against it. Her vision blurs and she slides down the tree.

"Come on," she gasps and lays her hand on the tree. She concentrates on the feeling of safety that she feels everytime she goes there, but she can't feel anything.

"Father, help me," she sobs as darkness takes over her vision. Suddenly, someone lays their hand over her own. She automatically grasps onto it. A white light begins to spill from the tree. It surrounds Kayla and the stranger. Kayla feels her wound healing. Suddenly, the light starts forcing itself down her throat. She closes her eyes and lets it. When it is all gone, she collapses. Light shines through her skin and she feels the stranger step back. When she is nothing but light, Kayla explodes.

When she next opens her eyes, she is in a deserted warehouse in Detroit. She looks around her and down at her body.

"Kayla?" she hears someone asks. She turns around.

"Sam and Dean Winchester. It is an honour to finally meet you as myself," she smiles.

"What do you mean?" Dean asks suspiciously. She tutts and shakes her head.

"I thought you two were supposed to be smart," she scolds them. The brothers look at each other in shock.

"Metatron?" Cas gasps, walking in, with Gabriel and Bobby closely following.

"Hello Cas," Metatron smiles. She then spots Gabe. "Gabe!" Metatron throws herself at her older brother. Gabriel catches her and spins her around.

"Hey Mettie," Gabriel smiles. Metatron pulls a face.

"I think I prefer Kayla," she says. Suddenly, she gasps. "They're here." She turns around to see Michael and Lucifer standing behind her. Michael is possessing Adam and Lucifer is still possessing Nick. The two brothers don't notice their audience.

"The time has come, brother," Michael says. He pulls out his sword.

"Indeed it has," Lucifer replies. Without anyone noticing, Kayla slides her hand into Gabriel's pocket and pulls out his sword.

As Michael prepares to deliver the first blow, Kayla screams, "Stop!"

She disappears and reappears on the other side of the warehouse. "You will not fight." She slowly raises the blade until it rests over her heart. "I cannot watch my brothers fight. It will kill me." She gently pushes the blade so that a drop of blood appears. "If you fight, then I will die, right here, right now." Michael and Lucifer look at each other. "What is more important to you- your fight and honour or your family?" Lucifer sighs and stands up straight.

"I will not risk losing you, little one," he says. "I will not fight." Everyone turns to look at Michael. Michael looks down at his sword. Kayla sighs and closes her eyes. Suddenly, she feels someone pulling the blade out of her hand.

"I will not risk it either," Michael says. He drops his sword on the ground and walks over to Lucifer.

"Forgive me, brother?" he asks. Lucifer looks at him.

"There is nothing to forgive," Lucifer replies. Kayla smiles and walks over to them. She pulls them both in for a hug. Gabriel walks over and joins in.

As they pull away, Lucifer asks, "Kayla, where did all that blood come from?" Kayla stiffens.

"Well, uh, you see..." she stutters.

"Kayla," Michael warns.

"Raphael. He, uh, tried to kill me before I stopped you killing each other," Kayla tells them, looking down.

"Did he now?" Lucifer asks, smirking. He walks over and picks up the blade that Kayla had. "Well, he's certainly going to regret it now." He also picks up Michael's sword. He gives it to him as he calls Raphael down. Raphael appears, he looks smug. But when he sees Michael and Lucifer standing next to each other, his expression turns to one of confusion. He then spots Kayla.

"You!" he growls, stepping forward. But he is stopped by Lucifer.

"Don't you dare come anywhere near her!" Lucifer threatens. Raphael frowns at him.

"What are you going to do to stop me?" he asks.

"This," Lucifer replies. He disappears and reappears in front of him. He stabs Raphael in the exact same spot that Raphael stabbed Kayla.

"You really should have left her alone," Michael says, walking forward.

"Michael, help," Raphael gasps. Michael doesn't answer, instead in plunges his blade deep into Raphael's heart. They watch as Raphael dies, his wings burned onto the floor.

"No one hurts our sister," they say together. Kayla smiles at them and walks over to Cas.

"My grace wasn't the only grace hidden in that tree brother," she says quietly, holding out a vial. Cas looks at her in surprise and takes it from her. "I think that our father does still care about his children."

"What do you mean?" Cas asks, looking confused.

Kayla smiles, "I should have died today. But someone saved me- they helped me get my grace."

Cas looks at her questionly and smashes the vial.

"Close your eyes," Gabriel warns Sam, Dean and Bobby. A bright light engulfs the warehouse. When it dims down they see Cas standing there, examining himself. He looks at Kayla in amazement.

"I got my grace back," he smiles. "And there's more- I'm an archangel." Kayla shrieks in delight and hugs him. Cas eagerly returns the hug.

"Now all my favourite brothers are archangels," she grins. Her and Cas walk over to where Gabriel, Michael and Lucifer are standing.

"Time to go, little one," Michael smiles.

"Can we wait one more minute?" Kayla asks. Michael nods and Kayla walks over to Sam, Dean and Bobby. She stands in front of Bobby first. She lays her hand on his chest and concentrates. After a few seconds she smiles.

"What?" Bobby asks wearily.

"You've got your soul back," Kayla grins. Bobby gasps and pulls her into a hug. She gratefully returns the hug. "You were like a father to me, Bobby. I promise you- this isn't goodbye. You will see me again." When Bobby lets go, she turns to face Sam and Dean. "Same goes for you- you will see me again." She walks over to Sam. "You're a good person, Sammy. Never forget that." She hugs him. After a few seconds she pulls away, wiping away tears.

"Nice to see that I've still got emotions," she mutters before turning to face Dean. Before she can say anything, Dean pulls her into a hug.

"You're like the sister I never had," he tells her. "Don't ever change."

"I won't," she promises. "I love you, Dean." She pulls away and walks over to her brothers. She faces her human family one more times and smiles. "Thank you."

The archangels disappear.


End file.
